Due to the armed aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine on February 24, 2022, testing of Ukrainian athletes on the territory of Ukraine and delivery of samples to the Polish Anti-Doping Laboratory became complicated. Polish colleagues – POLADA and personally its head, Mr. Michał Rynkowski – were the first to lend a helping hand to the Ukrainian Anti-Doping Center in difficult situation. They have organized and still continue to test Ukrainian athletes who train in the Republic of Poland. Polish Anti-Doping Laboratory and its head Ms. Dorota Kviatkovska also supported the Ukrainian Anti-Doping Center in difficult organizational and financial conditions the Ukrainian side faced and keep on analyzing samples collected from Ukrainian athletes.

We are grateful for the support of the leadership of the World Anti-Doping Agency, namely President Witold Banka, Director General Oliver Niggli and Tom May NADO/RADO Relations Director.  Due to their commitment the Ukrainian Anti-Doping Center received the support of Spanish, Croatian, Swiss, Lithuanian, Romanian, Belgian, French, Estonian, Italian, German, Slovenian, Bulgarian and US NADOs. As a result 83 samples of the Ukrainian athletes, who train or compete in those countries were collected. We also keep testing our athletes in Ukraine. During the war time we have managed to collect 54 samples.

We would like to emphasize and explain to our athletes and other stakeholders that despite the fact that samples are collected by other ADOs, NADC is still testing authority, and all subsequent stages of doping control remain in the scope of NADC responsibility.

Testing is an opportunity and the right of every athlete to prove and confirm they stay “clean” and are intended to compete in a doping-free environment on equal terms. Therefore, we once again express our sincere gratitude to WADA and other ADOs for their professional and sincere human support in these difficult times for our state and anti-doping organization. We are confident that this support is felt by every Ukrainian athlete, team or federation who continues to have the opportunity to participate in sports free of doping.