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ASOIF
07 Dec 2023

ASOIF publishes 2023 IF anti-doping expenditure and strategy report

The Association of Summer Olympic International Federations (ASOIF) today published the International Federation Anti-Doping Expenditure and Strategy Report which takes stock of developments in this most important area. All the 33 ASOIF member International Federations (IFs) participated in this study, sharing critical insights into how federations run anti-doping operations today, and future strategic plans.

The Report follows two previous editions published in 2010 and in 2016 respectively and aims to assess progress, identify challenges and opportunities, reveal trends, and optimise strategies and support for the fight against doping.

The key findings present a positive snapshot of anti-doping in 2023 and a promising outlook for the future, including:

  • Total IF spending increased from USD 27.7 million in 2015 to USD 51.4 million in 2022, demonstrating an annual growth rate of 6.8 per cent (when adjusted for inflation).
  • Testing and sample analysis continued to dominate IF expenditure in 2022, accounting for 72 per cent of the total.
  • Education spending also saw a significant increase, from USD 0.8 million to USD 1.7 million in 2022, with all IFs expressing intent to prioritise this area in the next four years.
  • The percentage of IFs fully outsourcing their operations to independent service providers reached 48 per cent in 2022 and is projected to increase to 64 per cent over the next four years.

ASOIF President Francesco Ricci Bitti said about the study outcomes: “This Report demonstrates our member federations’ commitment to strengthen their anti-doping strategies through transparent communication and stakeholder collaboration and we thank them for their invaluable dedication. The large majority of ASOIF’s member federations anticipates a continued augmentation of their anti-doping budgets in the years to come, combined with an increased use of International Testing Agency services. This is good news and we must continue contributing to innovative and impactful solutions, which each and every athlete deserves so much.”

The 2016 report provided important impetus for the set-up of the International Testing Agency in 2018.

Margo Mountjoy, Chair of ASOIF’s Medical and Science Consultative Group which oversaw the study, said about future trends: “The positive developments in IF anti-doping efforts, revealed by this latest study, is likely to continue. Over the next four years, IFs aim to prioritise education while maintaining testing as a fundamental element of their anti-doping strategies. The majority of IFs are in favour of innovative approaches like intelligence-driven testing, cost-effective testing technologies and scientific and social research.”

The IFs’ prevailing inclination to focus on prevention and adopt innovative methods for testing, intelligence, and education signals a synchronised commitment to the future of anti-doping innovation.

Click here to read the full report.