The fight against doping is undergoing a period of transformation across the Americas. With the new World Anti-Doping Code and International Standards for 2027 coming into force increasingly closer, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) brought together representatives from across the continent in Lima to address the challenges posed by their implementation. The 2026 Regional Symposium for the Americas brought together nearly 250 participants from North America, Central America, South America and the Caribbean, in an event where coordination among the different stakeholders in the anti-doping system was a central focus.
The event, held at Universidad San Ignacio de Loyola (USIL), was organized with the support of the Peruvian Olympic Committee and the university itself, in collaboration with the Peruvian Sports Institute, the National Anti-Doping Organization of Peru and the National Paralympic Association of Peru. The program was structured around WADA’s 2027 Code Implementation Support Program (CISP), with particular emphasis on compliance readiness and the specific circumstances of a broad and diverse region, where anti-doping systems have different levels of development and capacity.
An anti-doping system that needs regional coordination
During the opening session, Francisco León Cannock, Director of WADA’s Latin America and Caribbean Office, and Susan Egoávil, former member of Peru’s national volleyball team and a member of the Agency’s Athlete Council, opened the event. Subsequently, WADA Director General Olivier Niggli made a direct call for Code signatories across the Americas to work together during the months remaining before January 1, 2027, when the new provisions will come into force. For the Agency, the challenge is not simply to adapt regulations, but to ensure that different national structures can effectively implement the changes while maintaining common standards.
The regional dimension is particularly important in a system that depends on the trust of athletes and the public. Niggli noted that this trust is linked to the ability to compete under fair conditions and to the perception that the integrity of sport is being protected. In Lima, this responsibility was approached as a shared effort among different stakeholders. Cecilia Moncada Tasayco, President of Peru’s National Anti-Doping Organization, emphasized the need to harmonize efforts and linked the event to preparations for the Lima 2027 Pan American and Parapan American Games. For Peru, the symposium also represents a direct preparation opportunity for a major multisport event that will require a coordinated and effective anti-doping system.
Athletes as protagonists in anti-doping decisions
One of the central sessions of the day focused on strengthening athletes’ voices within anti-doping governance. Susan Egoávil’s participation brought a perspective directly connected to the sporting experience and the needs of those who must navigate the testing, education and protection systems established by authorities. The discussion emphasized the progress made over the past two years in terms of athlete representation in Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as the need for that participation to play an effective role in shaping policies that affect the sporting community.
The focus on athletes also opened the discussion on what an anti-doping system capable of responding to the realities of the region should look like. Egoávil highlighted the importance of moving toward more human, accessible and effective structures, where athletes’ experiences are taken into account in decision-making processes. Alongside this dimension, the symposium program addressed the main changes to the 2027 Code, government leadership in clean sport, privacy protection and the improvements planned for the International Standards for Laboratories and Education. Members of WADA’s Advisory Committee also participated, including its President Ryan Pini, Vice President Dora Hegyi and member Iñaki Gómez.
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