The World Anti-Doping Agency has announced that online registration is now open for its Annual Symposium ©Getty Images

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has announced that online registration is now open for its 2022 Annual Symposium after three years of absence because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Under the theme "Raising the Game", the biggest annual gathering of the anti-doping world is scheduled to be held on June 11 and 12, with a combination of in-person and virtual participation, at the SwissTech Convention Center in Lausanne, Switzerland. 

It will focus on advancing anti-doping for the benefit of athletes across the world through a mix of plenary and breakout sessions, along with discussions on some of the developing innovations in anti-doping.

This year's edition was initially scheduled to be held on March 23 and 24, but was delayed by two months because of COVID-19 concerns.

The last two editions of WADA’s Annual Symposium, in 2020 and 2021, were also both cancelled due to the unstable situation. 

The last two editions of WADA’s Annual Symposium in 2020 and 2021 was cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic ©Getty Images
The last two editions of WADA’s Annual Symposium in 2020 and 2021 was cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic ©Getty Images

The Symposium traditionally gathers anti-doping professionals from International Federations, national and regional anti-doping organisations, major event organisations, athletes and athlete representatives, Governments and accredited laboratories.

A dedicated session exclusively for athletes and athlete representatives, under the leadership of WADA’s Athlete Committee, will also be held on June 13. 

WADA says it will continue to monitor the evolution of the pandemic and plans to hold its Global Education Conference at Sport Integrity Australia in Sydney as scheduled from September 20 to 22.