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Feb 19, 2025

World Aquatics Demonstrates Comprehensive and Rigorous Testing Programme Ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games

The programme was designed and implemented by the independent International Testing Agency. World Aquatics today announced the successful implementation of the most comprehensive and rigorous testing

The programme was designed and implemented by the independent International Testing Agency.

World Aquatics today announced the successful implementation of the most comprehensive and rigorous testing programme in its history in the lead-up to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

This extensive initiative underscores World Aquatics’ commitment to ensuring clean sport and fair competition for all aquatics athletes.

The testing programme, designed and implemented by the International Testing Agency (ITA), encompasses a wide range of tests conducted both in and out-of-competition. In total, 2,145 anti-doping tests have been conducted by World Aquatics on athletes participating in the Olympic Games in Paris since 1 January 2024.

Including tests conducted by other anti-doping organisations, aquatics athletes competing in Paris have been tested an average of 3.4 times, with 4,774 taken in total. This is the most tests ever conducted by World Aquatics before an Olympic Games.

Olympic Games Edition

World Aquatics tests from 1 Jan until the start of the Olympic Games

World Aquatics In-Competition tests from 1 Jan until the start of the Olympic Games

World Aquatics Out of Competition tests from 1 Jan until the start of the Olympic Games

Athletes tested by World Aquatics from 1 Jan until the start of the Olympic Games

Rio 2016

2648

487

2161

1041

Tokyo 2020

2002

208

1794

876

Paris 2024

2958

702

2256

1283

NOTE: The table above shows the number of tests conducted on all aquatics athletes, including those who didn’t participate in the Olympic Games. It was not possible to retrieve the tests done only on Olympic athletes for that edition of the Games.

Swimmers from China were the most tested athletes during this period. Since 1 January 2024, the 31 swimmers from China competing in Paris have each been tested at least 10 times by World Aquatics, with an average of 13 tests per swimmer. World Aquatics conducted a total of 418 tests through this programme. All Chinese swimmers have been tested out-of-competition at least eight times by World Aquatics, independently of any other anti-doping organisation and using a WADA-accredited laboratory based in Europe.

Including tests conducted by other anti-doping organisations, Chinese swimmers have been tested on average 21 times since 1 January 2024. Australian swimmers have been tested an average of four times in the same period, and USA swimmers an average of six times.

NOC

Number of Swimmers

Average Tests per Swimmer

USA

46

6

AUS

41

4

ITA

36

5

CHN

31

21

GBR

30

4

FRA

29

4

CAN

28

4

JPN

27

4

GER

25

4

HUN

21

5

"It is our top priority that our athletes compete in a clean and fair competition," said Husain Al-Musallam, President of World Aquatics. "Our rigorous testing programme reflects our dedication to upholding the highest standards of integrity in aquatic sports and we are grateful for the ITA’s partnership in conducting it.”

The ITA will continue to operate an extensive in-competition anti-doping programme during Paris 2024 on behalf of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

World Aquatics also continues to work tirelessly to ensure the highest standards of integrity in aquatics competitions.

The independent Aquatics Integrity Unit began operations on 1 January 2023 as part of sweeping governance reforms. The Aquatics Integrity Unit is chaired by Miguel Cardenal Carro, and its website includes a reporting platform for people to anonymously relay information about potential integrity violations in the areas of safe sport, competition manipulation, and disciplinary and ethical violations.

For more information about the anti-doping efforts carried out before the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, please visit the Aquatics Integrity Unit’s Paris 2024 Statistics page here. The Aquatics Integrity Unit website is here.

Driven by the vision of a world united by water for health, life and sport, World Aquatics is the international governing body for aquatic sports. Founded in 1908, World Aquatics is an independent organisation of 210 National Federations and five Continental Organisations. 

World Aquatics oversees six aquatic sports – swimming, water polo, diving, artistic swimming, open water swimming, and high diving – and is recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) as the leading global authority on these sports

Torin Koos

World Aquatics Communication Manager

Email: [email protected]