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2025 World Anti-Doping Agency Conference Concludes Successfully, Elevating Busan as a Global Clean Sports Hub

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Busan Metropolitan City announced that the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Conference, held at BEXCO from December 1 to 5, concluded successfully with approximately 2,000 participants from 163 countries.

The opening and closing ceremonies, official receptions, and major meetings—including plenary sessions and the Executive Committee—were jointly prepared by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (Minister Choi Hwi-young), the Korea Anti-Doping Agency (Chairperson Yang Yoon-jun, KADA), and Busan Metropolitan City. All programs were conducted without issue, reaffirming Busan’s competitiveness as a global MICE hub city.

On the final day of the conference, the central agenda—the final approval of amendments to the World Anti-Doping Code and International Standards—was adopted, along with the Busan Declaration.

WADA undertook the revision process by collecting over 5,000 stakeholder comments, as well as feedback from approximately 600 athletes across 60–70 countries and sports disciplines. Key changes include an expanded emphasis on athlete rights and stronger protections for minors and other protected persons. The amended Code and Standards will apply globally across the sports sector for the next six years starting in 2027.

The Busan Declaration, adopted during the final plenary session, calls on athletes, sports organizations, governments, and all stakeholders to strengthen education, investigations, sanctions, international cooperation, and trust-building in the fight against doping.
The declaration explicitly expresses deep gratitude to Busan—the host city that provided a sustainable platform for cooperation in global anti-doping efforts—marking a major step forward in Busan’s emergence as a global clean sports hub.

During the conference, Busan Metropolitan City held a meeting with WADA President Witold Bańka and conducted a ceremony to deliver the Clean Sports Declaration, reaffirming the city’s commitment to promoting clean and fair sports.

The declaration, expressing Busan’s resolve to contribute continuously to the spread of clean and fair sports values, was personally delivered to WADA President Bańka.

President Bańka conveyed his gratitude to Busan for its active support in hosting the successful conference and expressed solidarity with the city’s commitment to advancing clean sports. Both sides agreed to continue close cooperation for the promotion of clean sports.

As the first step toward implementing the declaration, Busan plans to collaborate with the Korea Anti-Doping Agency (KADA) to pilot the Asian Youth Clean Sports Camp next year.
This program—currently included in Busan’s 2026 budget proposal submitted to the City Council—will provide anti-doping education and mentoring for youth athletes from Busan and developing countries in Asia, led by athlete committees from WADA and KADA.

Busan also strengthened its sports diplomacy by meeting consecutively with International Olympic Committee (IOC) Member Kirsty Coventry and sports ministers and vice ministers from various countries, laying the foundation for Busan’s advancement as a global sports hub city.

Busan plans to continue expanding the international cooperation network formed during the conference, promoting the hosting of international sporting events, revitalizing the sports industry, and developing sports programs enjoyed by people around the world, thereby broadening achievements across all sports sectors.

Mayor Park Heong-joon stated,
“Through this conference, Busan has once again demonstrated its capabilities as a global sports hub city and MICE hub. With Busan presenting a new direction for clean sports, we will continue spreading the values of fair and clean sports and, based on the international cooperation network established at this event, leap forward as a global sports hub city recognized around the world.”