A slight increase in number of reports
In its third year of existence, the national and independent Reporting Service for Ethics Violations once again demonstrated that it is a key element in protecting Swiss athletes from violence and abuse. In its third year of existence the Reporting Service received 412 reports. Compared to the 264 reports from the first year and the 374 reports from the second year, this represents a further 10 per cent increase. Thanks to the funding provided by partner organisations FOSPO (Federal Office of Sport) and Swiss Olympic, the ethics team was able to hire the necessary additional personnel resources. Procedures are generally perceived as being too long by those involved; however, the goal of reducing the duration of proceedings has not yet been fully achieved. Although more internal resources have been built up and helpful tools have been procured, a large proportion of reports from previous years still need to be processed, and these will be followed by more reports from the current year.
Olympics in the focus of doping controls
The Summer Olympics and Paralympic Games in Paris were a focus of the control activities during the year under review. Once again, all participants were subjected to at least one doping control before the Games. After a new record was set in doping controls in our own domestic strategy last year, the figure fell slightly to 2,600 in the reporting year. Consequently, fewer samples were taken in the course of these doping controls, namely 3,710 compared to 4,001 samples in the previous year. There were 1,652 out-of-competition tests and 948 in-competition tests. The number of reported seizures fell slightly in the reporting year for the first time since the revised Sport Promotion Act came into force in 2012. As in previous years, the vast majority of the 1,106 seizures were carried out by the Federal Office for Customs and Border Security (FOCBS).
20 anti-doping rule violations
Swiss Sport Integrity issued a results management decision in four cases in 2024. In three other cases, an agreement bringing the proceedings to a conclusion was reached with the athletes. Furthermore, the Disciplinary Chamber of Swiss Sport, or from July the Swiss Sports Tribunal, issued 13 decisions on doping offences last year, resulting in 12 sanctions that involved suspensions of between three months and 14 years. One further case was concluded before the international Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), where the 12-month suspension was confirmed.
Research Activities in Partnership
In collaboration with the anti-doping laboratory in Lausanne, two research projects to further develop the analysis of dried blood spots were successfully completed and two new, promising follow-up projects were launched. Our ongoing close collaboration with the Lausanne laboratory ensures that the latest scientific findings are implemented in Switzerland in a timely manner and in line with Swiss Sport Integrity’s mandate.
Partnership with the NADO of Morocco
In June 2024, Swiss Sport Integrity signed a partnership agreement with the National Anti-Doping Agency of Morocco (AMAD), in coordination with WADA. The aim of the partnership is to enable AMAD to benefit from Switzerland's knowledge, many years of experience and expertise in all areas of anti-doping work when setting up its organization. So far, four training events have taken place with AMAD officials.
Stabilization of activities also in doping prevention
After the preventive measures for clean sport were increased and intensified annually, stabilisation followed in 2024. Over 4,800 people in competitive sport were reached and made aware of anti-doping issues in the form of 190 education courses and workshops. Of note is the awareness-raising of the entire Olympic delegation for Paris 2024 by means of e-learning in collaboration with Swiss Olympic. After SSI’s popular online format “Parents Info” was implemented as a pilot project for the first time in 2022, over 300 parents of athletes have been supported in their important role during the 2024 reporting year. While the number of e-learning completions is generally stable, the use of the Medication Inquiry Service rose again slightly, breaking the record of 200,000 search queries in one year for the first time.