Minister of Sports and Youth H E Salah bin Ghanim Al Ali (second left) and other officials during the Anti Doping Symposium Qatar.
Doha: Anti-Doping Lab Qatar (ADLQ) has successfully concluded its tenth annual symposium, titled “Novel Challenges & Biomarkers Discovery”, at the Aspire Academy Auditorium.
The three-day event featured a host of international experts in the field of anti-doping, who shared their research and insights on novel challenges and biomarkers discovery.
The symposium’s final day was also attended by Minister of Sports and Youth H E Salah bin Ghanim Al Ali.
Addressing the event, the Minister affirmed Qatar’s support for all international, regional, and local efforts concerned with anti-doping in sports, emphasising the importance of promoting a competitive sports environment that is free of doping.
“The success of Qatar in hosting major sporting events, the latest of which was the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, is an affirmation of the State’s interest in sports and the support of those in charge of it, including the authorities concerned with combating doping in sports in the country, and effective coordination with international bodies,” said Al Ali.
The symposium was chaired by Professor Mohammed Al Maadheed, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the ADLQ, Director General of the Naufar Rehabilitation Center and Director of the Centre of Metabolism and Inflammation, University College London, UK.
“ADLQ’s annual symposium is a vital event that brings together a diverse range of anti-doping experts from around the world,” said Professor Al Maadheed.
“It provides a valuable platform for exchanging ideas, discussing new research findings, and exploring innovative solutions to the ongoing challenges of doping in sport.”
The ADLQ annual symposium is an important initiative by the Anti-Doping Lab Qatar, which is dedicated to promoting fair play and integrity in sports through scientific research and analysis. The symposium’s success underscores the commitment of Qatar to leading the global fight against doping in sports and promoting clean and fair competition for all athletes.
This year’s symposium, which was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, is a scientific gathering that coincided with the 10th anniversary of the ADLQ and acted as an evaluation period for the laboratory’s journey over the decade.
The ADLQ has become one of the most prominent international laboratories, boasting a team of distinguished Qatari staff who have benefited from scholarships abroad and accumulated extensive experience.
Over half of the specialised scientific staff are Qatari nationals, who have excelled not only in their work at the laboratory but also in conducting exceptional scientific research. The 10th ADLQ annual symposium brought together several sporting, medical and scientific institutions, including addiction treatment centres, sports medicine hospitals, and anti-doping agencies. The symposium addressed the latest scientific research and use of modern technology in these fields.
Despite being a relatively new facility, the ADLQ has made significant progress in state-of-the-art, internationally accredited laboratory tests and has conducted pioneering scientific research.
Its goal is to ensure clean sport and protect the health of the athlete by finding new prohibited doping substances being used in sport, but also going beyond and using these technologies in testing for disease markers, to help develop new treatments and medicines.
