PRESS RELEASE

Clear Ice, Clean Sport: ISU delegates its entire anti-doping program to the ITA for independent management

The International Testing Agency (ITA) is pleased to announce a new partnership with the International Skating Union (ISU). Under this agreement, the ISU has delegated its anti-doping program to the ITA for full, independent management. This milestone collaboration reinforces the ISU’s unwavering commitment to fair play, athlete protection, and the highest standards of clean sport across its six Olympic disciplines.

The ISU, the international governing body for figure skating, speed skating, and short track speed skating, joins a growing community of sport organisations that have entrusted the ITA with the delivery of their anti-doping programs. As an Olympic International Federation with a global footprint, the ISU’s decision marks a significant moment in the advancement of clean sport and independent anti-doping governance.

Under this agreement, the ITA assumes full operational responsibility as of July 2025 for all areas of the ISU’s anti-doping program, ensuring it is delivered with the highest standards of compliance with the World Anti-Doping Code and connected International Standards. The ITA will oversee risk-based test distribution planning and the execution of both in- and out-of-competition testing for international level skating athletes throughout the season and at major international competitions. Testing will be conducted by a global network of trained and ITA-accredited sample collection personnel, guided by an intelligence-led approach to maximise effectiveness and deterrence. A first focus of the program will lie on preparing ISU athletes for the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, ensuring they compete under robust and independent anti-doping measures on the road to the Games.

The ITA will also manage the ISU Athlete Biological Passport (ABP) program, providing longitudinal monitoring of selected biomarkers to detect potential doping over time. Therapeutic Use Exemptions (TUEs) will be processed through the ITA’s International Therapeutic Use Exemption Committee (iTUEC), a panel of independent medical specialists who ensure athletes with legitimate medical needs receive fair and transparent treatment within the anti-doping framework.

In the event of potential anti-doping rule violations, the ITA will carry out all results management proceedings with full independence, ensuring procedural fairness and due process. In parallel, the ITA will integrate intelligence and investigative (I&I) capacities into the ISU’s anti-doping efforts, supporting more sophisticated and targeted program implementation and the detection of non-analytical anti-doping rule violations. The ITA had already begun to support the ISU with I&I activities in the past months.

A central pillar of the collaboration is a dedicated education program, jointly developed by the ITA and ISU. It will include the creation of a multi-year education plan, the delivery of tailored activities such as webinars and in-person education at key ISU events, and ongoing support for athletes and support personnel. Monitoring and evaluation tools will also be used to measure the effectiveness and reach of these initiatives, reinforcing the importance of values-based learning and long-term athlete development.

In addition, a dedicated doping control program will be established for eligible neutral athletes (AIN) from Russia and Belarus in view of their progressive reinstatement into ISU competitions and, ultimately, participation in the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. This program will ensure that these athletes are subject to rigorous, intelligence-driven testing conducted exclusively by independent sample collection personnel with all samples analysed in WADA-accredited laboratories outside of Russia. This approach reinforces the ITA and ISU’s joint commitment to neutrality, transparency, and the integrity of the global anti-doping system.

“We are honoured to welcome the International Skating Union to the ITA’s community of partners,” said ITA Director General Benjamin Cohen. “Skating is a cornerstone of the Olympic Movement and a sport that inspires millions worldwide with its combination of precision, power, and artistry. We were pleased to note that the ISU already has a very robust anti-doping program implemented over the years by skilled professionals and committed experts. With this partnership, the ISU is making a strong and meaningful statement: that integrity, good governance and clean sport are at the heart of skating’s future. Athletes in all skating disciplines will now benefit from an anti-doping program grounded in independence, scientific expertise, and fairness. We look forward to working hand in hand with ISU’s experts and anti-doping advisory bodies and commend the ISU’s leadership for taking this important step.”

ISU President Jae Youl Kim stated: “With a legacy spanning more than 50 years in Anti-Doping, the ISU has long been recognized as a pioneer in promoting clean sport and protecting athletes. From establishing one of the sport’s first in-house Anti-Doping programs to being an early adopter of the Athlete Biological Passport, the ISU has consistently demonstrated its commitment to securing a safe sport environment. Our partnership with the ITA marks a pivotal step forward, ensuring full independence, transparency, and global expertise in the delivery of our Anti-Doping program. As we prepare for the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games, and continue to advance the ISU Vision 2030, we remain dedicated to upholding fairness and safeguarding the future of ice skating.”

The collaboration between the ITA and the ISU came into force in July 2025, with both organisations working closely to ensure a smooth operational transition. This collaboration reinforces both organisations’ shared mission to protect the health of athletes, ensure a level playing field, and preserve the integrity of sport at every level.

With the inclusion of the ISU, the ITA now independently manages the anti-doping programs of four Olympic Winter International Federations, including the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation (IBSF), the International Luge Federation (FIL) and the International Ski Mountaineering Federation (ISMF) — a testament to the growing trust in the ITA’s independent, expert-led approach to clean sport in the Olympic winter sports community.

About the ITA

The International Testing Agency (ITA) is an international organisation constituted as a not-for-profit foundation, based in Lausanne, Switzerland. Its mission is to manage anti-doping programs, independent from sporting or political powers, for International Federations (IFs), Major Event Organisers (MEOs) and all other anti-doping organisations requesting support.