Milica Vukašinović Vesić highlighted the evolution of cooperation with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). What once began as dialogue has grown into concrete action. Today, the partnership is more structured, more demanding, more transparent, and more supportive than ever before. A cornerstone of this progress has been the establishment of the Central European Anti-Doping Organization (CEADO) six years ago. Founded by eight countries and now comprising ten member nations, CEADO has evolved into a strong regional platform acting in unity on key issues and delivering practical solutions. It stands as clear proof that regional cooperation is not merely a slogan, but a working method that produces concrete results.
Within this framework, ADAS had the privilege of serving as a mentoring country in the development of the anti-doping programme of NADO North Macedonia. More recently, ADAS has also supported NADO Ecuador in strengthening its Intelligence and Investigations Programme. These mentoring experiences have reaffirmed a fundamental principle: strong global rules can succeed only when they are upheld by strong national systems.
Looking ahead, ADAS outlined three key priorities for the future:
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Safeguarding what has been built—the independence of NADOs, the quality of their work, and trust in the anti-doping system—through stable funding and zero tolerance for any attempts to undermine NADO independence.
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Deepening regional cooperation, with CEADO ready to do more as an example of good practice and as a bridge between WADA and national systems.
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Prioritising the voices of athletes, the needs of smaller ADOs, and the collective wisdom of regional networks.