TWO DECADES OF COMMITMENT TO INTEGRITY
Belgrade, February 26, 2026 – The Anti-Doping Agency of the Republic of Serbia marked its 20th anniversary, celebrating two decades of dedicated work in safeguarding the integrity of sport, protecting athletes’ health, and promoting a culture of clean and fair competition in the Republic of Serbia. The ceremony was attended by numerous distinguished guests from the sports community, representatives of 12 national anti-doping agencies, partners, and members of the media. The audience was addressed by Marko Kešelj, State Secretary at the Ministry of Sport; Sébastien Gillot, Director of the WADA Europe Office; Michael Cepic, Chair of the Central European Anti-Doping Organization (CEADO); Dejan Tomašević, President of the Olympic Committee of Serbia; Zoran Mićović, President of the Paralympic Committee of Serbia; Davor Štefanek, President of the Sports Association of Serbia; and Zorana Arunović, Chair of the Athletes’ Council of the Anti-Doping Agency of the Republic of Serbia.
Over the past two decades, the Agency has developed a stable and credible anti-doping control system based on the principles of independence, expertise, and international cooperation. Since its establishment, its work has been focused on preserving trust in sport—a value that transcends results, medals, and individual competitions.
“The fight against doping is not merely about enforcing rules; it is about protecting health, preserving integrity, and promoting fairness in sport. The anti-doping system exists to protect athletes who wish to train and compete in accordance with the rules, providing them with support through education, prevention, medical counseling, and transparent procedures. Our purpose is not punishment, but protection. Twenty years of work have demonstrated that it is possible to build a system that is professional, independent, and fully dedicated to athletes. Clean sport is a shared responsibility of all—athletes, coaches, clubs, federations, doctors, parents, media, and the state. We are here to serve as partners and a pillar of support to everyone who believes that victory is earned through hard work, talent, and discipline—not through prohibited substances,” stated Prof. Dr. Milica Vukašinović Vesić, Director of the Anti-Doping Agency of the Republic of Serbia.
The ceremony particularly highlighted the importance of institutional independence as the cornerstone of system credibility, ensuring equal treatment for all athletes and safeguarding the integrity of procedures. Gratitude was expressed to the Republic of Serbia and the Ministry of Sport for their continuous support and recognition that investing in the anti-doping system means investing in the health of young people, the integrity of sport, and the country’s international reputation.
International cooperation with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), as well as regional collaboration through the Central European Anti-Doping Organization (CEADO), plays a significant role in the Agency’s work, further strengthening the exchange of knowledge, harmonization of practices, and development of educational and testing programs.
Over the past 20 years, a large number of doping controls have been conducted both domestically and internationally, numerous educational programs have been implemented, procedures for therapeutic use exemptions have been improved, and the legal and medical capacities of the system have been enhanced. Special emphasis has been placed on prevention and raising awareness about the risks of inadequate supplementation and uninformed decisions.
The celebration of 20 years of work reaffirms the commitment to continuing the development of an environment in which success is built on hard work, knowledge, and integrity. The Anti-Doping Agency of the Republic of Serbia remains steadfast in its mission—to protect athletes’ right to compete in a clean and fair environment.
