India has been re-elected as the Vice-Chairperson of the Bureau for the Asia-Pacific (Group IV) at the 10th Session of the Conference of Parties (COP10) to the International Convention against Doping in Sport, held from October 20–22 at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris.
The meeting, which coincided with the 20th anniversary of the Convention, brought together representatives from more than 190 States Parties and international organizations to strengthen the global fight against doping and uphold integrity in sport.
The Indian delegation was led by Sports Secretary Hari Ranjan Rao and National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) Director General Anant Kumar. The officials engaged in discussions with representatives of the African Union, the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), and other stakeholders on enhancing anti-doping cooperation worldwide.
Azerbaijan was elected Chairperson of the COP10 Bureau, while Brazil, Zambia, and Saudi Arabia were chosen as Vice-Chairs representing their respective regional groups.
India also contributed in-kind support to the COP10 proceedings by providing interactive display boards showcasing the journey and achievements of the Anti-Doping Convention.
More than 500 delegates, including government representatives, anti-doping agencies, and members of UNESCO’s permanent delegations, attended the session. The discussions focused on governance reforms, financing the Fund for the Elimination of Doping in Sport, and addressing new challenges such as gene manipulation, traditional pharmacopoeia, and ethical concerns in sport.
India proposed amendments promoting the integration of the Values Education through Sport (VETS) approach, aimed at fostering ethics, integrity, and fair play among youth and sports organizations.