Our protest against WADA’s terms and conditions for media accreditation for the 2025 Symposium in Lausanne
WADA logo
LAUSANNE, March 14, 2025 – The terms and conditions that the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) have set for the small percentage of media representatives interested in attending its Annual Symposium next week in Switzerland are simply unnacceptable. The event is set for 18-19 March at the SwissTech Convention Centre in Lausanne, Switzerland.
Journalists seeking accreditation are expected to sign a three-page “terms and conditions and news access rules” document in which, among other things, it is stated that “journalists should avoid making inappropriate or defamatory comments about the event, speakers, or other attendees.” The document adds: “Failure to adhere may result in revocation of access to the 2025 Symposium and any future events organized by WADA.”
AIPS President Gianni Merlo has expressed his displeasure in an official letter to the Director general of the World Anti-Doping Agency Olivier Niggli.
“Dear Mr Niggli,
I believe that the accreditation form, which requires journalists to sign in order to be admitted to your annual symposium taking place in Lausanne next week, is unacceptable and recalls the dark ages of censorship. WADA was born as an organization that must defend the transparency and integrity of sport yet it now imposes conditions on the free work of journalists? It is at least both curious and unacceptable.
The success of your work has come precisely from your honesty and transparency, and the press has always stood by your side to defend the values of sport, as the fight against doping is above all a cultural battle. It is therefore unacceptable that you establish that failure to comply may result in revocation of access to the 2025 symposium and any future events organized by WADA.
I urge you to revise the accreditation requirements and to respect our work,
because the barrier that you are attempting to impose stands against press
freedom and can be mistaken for an attempt to hide something. I don't think you have anything to hide, which is why it is also right to dismantle that barrier
immediately.
I thank you for your attention and look forward to your response.”
Here you can find the terms and conditions for accreditation set by WADA: Terms and conditions for Wada annual symposium
Journalists seeking accreditation are expected to sign a three-page “terms and conditions and news access rules” document in which, among other things, it is stated that “journalists should avoid making inappropriate or defamatory comments about the event, speakers, or other attendees.” The document adds: “Failure to adhere may result in revocation of access to the 2025 Symposium and any future events organized by WADA.”
AIPS President Gianni Merlo has expressed his displeasure in an official letter to the Director general of the World Anti-Doping Agency Olivier Niggli.
“Dear Mr Niggli,
I believe that the accreditation form, which requires journalists to sign in order to be admitted to your annual symposium taking place in Lausanne next week, is unacceptable and recalls the dark ages of censorship. WADA was born as an organization that must defend the transparency and integrity of sport yet it now imposes conditions on the free work of journalists? It is at least both curious and unacceptable.
The success of your work has come precisely from your honesty and transparency, and the press has always stood by your side to defend the values of sport, as the fight against doping is above all a cultural battle. It is therefore unacceptable that you establish that failure to comply may result in revocation of access to the 2025 symposium and any future events organized by WADA.
I urge you to revise the accreditation requirements and to respect our work,
because the barrier that you are attempting to impose stands against press
freedom and can be mistaken for an attempt to hide something. I don't think you have anything to hide, which is why it is also right to dismantle that barrier
immediately.
I thank you for your attention and look forward to your response.”
Here you can find the terms and conditions for accreditation set by WADA: Terms and conditions for Wada annual symposium
News from the same category
