Olha Zavhorodnya is a name you likely have not heard before. From the small industrial town of Pryluky, about 100 miles east of Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, Zavhorodnya was a talented sprinter who competed in the same event as I, the 400-meter run. After retiring from international competition, her passion for sport — clean sport — inspired her work at the National Anti-Doping Organization of Ukraine, where she became the head of education. She was promoted to head of testing, responsible for coordinating doping controls of Ukrainian athletes, after a World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) investigation found her predecessor cheated on testing for years.
When the Russian invasion of Ukraine began, and with her town under intense shelling, Zavhorodnya was able to board an evacuation train heading west, but not before she safely secured the remaining samples from the last testing of Ukrainian athletes so they could be removed later and analyzed at WADA-accredited laboratory. The Polish Anti-Doping Agency quickly arranged her safe passage to Warsaw, where she continues to work for Ukraine from her remote office. Her determination to protect clean sports and uphold the anti-doping system helps enable Ukrainian athletes to continue competing in international sporting events. Until Zavhorodnya can return to her native country and her family members there, she waits for a daily message from her mother and sister to let her know they survived another night.
Apart from Zavhorodnya’s bravery and dedication, this story highlights what the world of anti-doping is all about — cooperation and solidarity. Led and coordinated by WADA, the global regulatory body, anti-doping efforts would not exist without the thousands of committed individuals in hundreds of countries.
Today, the world is in a precarious situation. As a result of Russia’s attack on Ukraine, war once again rages in Europe. WADA condemns this aggression and stands in solidarity with the Ukrainian people and its athletes.
Meanwhile, many Ukrainian athletes are still training and competing internationally, so we must continue supporting them and include them in the anti-doping process. WADA recently asked 19 national anti-doping organizations, in countries where elite Ukrainian athletes are now living, to include them in their testing plans. We asked them to fund sample collection and analysis as a goodwill gesture and to ensure the system's integrity. I knew they would rise to that challenge. Of the 19 NADOs we contacted, all agreed to assist. In addition, International Sports Federations have agreed to test Ukrainian athletes. The response to our appeal shows, yet again, the fundamental strength of our system.
While the war continues, most Russian athletes are ineligible to participate in international sports.
The Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) remains non-compliant with the World Anti-Doping Code because of the Russian authorities’ brazen attempts to manipulate data from its Moscow laboratory