A joint study by state information agencies from Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Denmark has revealed that the anti-doping control system is facing serious issues ahead of the 2026 Winter Olympics.
An anonymous survey among athletes showed that nearly half of the respondents (49.2%) had not undergone any out-of-competition testing from September 2024 to September 2025. Only 4.4% of athletes were subjected to regular checks (6 to 10 times), while 35.5% did not provide samples even during official events.
A lack of resources and the strategy of the International Testing Agency (ITA) result in stricter checks being conducted only in the Olympic season, while low-risk sports are almost not monitored at all.
Athletes and experts express concern about the unfairness of the current situation. Swedish biathlete Sebastian Samuelsson noted that the trend of deteriorating testing has been observed for several years, with the cost of one test amounting to about 600 euros. Norwegian skier Tiril Udnes Weng emphasized the importance of out-of-competition control, noting that banned substances are most often used during training periods.
Amid these issues, restrictions continue for Russian athletes, who are banned from participating in international competitions under a neutral status due to an insufficient number of doping tests. This situation has drawn criticism and raises questions about double standards in global sports.
