News release
World Anti-Doping Agency agrees to limit uses of athletes’ sensitive personal information
March 17, 2026 – Gatineau, Quebec
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has committed to implementing measures to help ensure that international sport federations and other anti-doping organizations do not use highly sensitive personal information collected from athletes and that is under WADA’s control for purposes other than those related to anti-doping.
The commitments come following the launch of an investigation by Privacy Commissioner of Canada Philippe Dufresne into a complaint.
The complainant had alleged that some personal information disclosed by WADA to international sporting federations was being used to assess athletes’ sex-based eligibility without their knowledge or consent.
In a compliance agreement concluded with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada, WADA has committed to implementing several remedial measures.
WADA, which has its headquarters in Montreal, Quebec, became subject to PIPEDA in 2015 following international pressure to ensure that its vast holdings of sensitive personal information were subject to proper oversight.
Quote
“The World Anti-Doping Agency is entrusted with safeguarding the highly sensitive personal information of thousands of athletes from around the globe. I welcome WADA’s commitment to take steps to help ensure that this information is only used for the purposes for which it was collected.”
Philippe Dufresne
Privacy Commissioner of Canada
Related link
Media contact
Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada
communications@priv.gc.ca
- Date modified: