World Anti-Doping Agency reps visit Baku ahead of Regional Symposium

This week, a delegation from the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) visited Azerbaijan to review preparations for the European Regional Symposium, scheduled to take place in Baku on March 18–19, 2026.

The symposium will be organised jointly by Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Youth and Sports and AMADA, Caliber.Az reports per local media.

In 2026, WADA will hold four regional symposia, with the European forum hosted in Baku. These events are designed to address the needs and challenges of regional partners in implementing the 2027 World Anti-Doping Code and International Standards. The new Code and standards are expected to be adopted in December 2025 at the World Anti-Doping Conference in Busan, South Korea, and will come into effect on 1 January 2027.

The WADA delegation included Sebastien Gioia, Director of the European Office and Sport Movement Relations Department, and Riziero Pizzani, Events Management Officer. During the visit, the team inspected the symposium venue and other relevant infrastructure in Baku.

Sebastien Gioia praised the high level of preparations, noting that the work is progressing according to plan. He emphasised that hosting the European Regional Symposium in 2026 will be a significant event for both WADA and Azerbaijan’s sporting community.

Riziero Pizzani highlighted that holding the symposium ahead of AMADA’s 10th anniversary reflects the long-term collaboration between WADA and Azerbaijan and the country’s commitment to strengthening anti-doping initiatives in the region. The delegation commended AMADA’s role in organizing the forum and Azerbaijan’s professionalism in hosting high-level international events.

By Khagan Isayev