The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) announced that Qatar’s Ministry of Sports and Youth has decided to contribute USD 1.5 million to support the agency’s scientific research efforts.

This contribution represents a significant addition to Qatar’s annual support for the agency, which already exceeds USD 200,000. The funding commitment was made during a visit by WADA President Witold Bańka to Qatar this week, where he met with His Excellency Engineer Yasser bin Abdullah Al-Jammal, Deputy Minister of Sports and Youth.

WADA President Witold Bańka said:
“The World Anti-Doping Agency expresses its deep appreciation for the continued support from our partners at the Ministry of Sports and Youth. This additional funding will have a major impact on scientific research in the field of anti-doping both globally and locally in Qatar. We extend our sincere thanks for this support. It is yet another example of the strong backing the Agency receives from its global partners who believe in our mission to promote clean sport and recognize the importance of advanced scientific research to stay ahead of those who seek to undermine the system.”

For his part, His Excellency Engineer Yasser bin Abdullah Al-Jammal, Deputy Minister of Sports and Youth, said:
“The Ministry of Sports and Youth is proud to provide this additional contribution to scientific research. We recognize that scientific research is a key pillar of a comprehensive anti-doping system, and we remain committed to advancing clean sport expertise—not only in Qatar, but across Asia and the world. We thank the World Anti-Doping Agency for its efforts to safeguard the integrity of sport globally. The Ministry believes in the importance of cooperation in this field and will continue to play its role in unifying international efforts in the fight against doping.”

The funding will be used to support three specific areas:

  • Research conducted in Qatar by the WADA-accredited laboratory in Doha.
  • Research undertaken by WADA at the international level.
  • A partnership between WADA and the Doha laboratory to develop the lab’s annual symposium by expanding the scope of the conference and inviting additional international experts to participate.

The visit also included the presence of the Qatar Anti-Doping Committee, which played an active role in supporting this collaboration and reaffirming Qatar’s commitment to contributing effectively to global anti-doping efforts and fostering a sports environment rooted in integrity and advanced scientific research.