NSA Launches Anti-Doping Authority
On Thursday, June 27th, 2025, the National Sports Authority (NSA) gathered eighty sports administrators from 59 sporting bodies to initiate the institutionalization process of the Sierra Leone Anti-Doping Authority and the Position of Trust (POT). Held at the City Hall View Conference Room in Freetown, the one-day engagement aimed to set clear guidelines on the policies and code of conduct related to the POT regulation and the Anti-Doping Authority, as provided under section 22 of the NSA Act.
This initiative aims to address abuse in sports, eliminate cheating, prevent health risks for athletes, and protect the integrity of sports. Dr. Brian Conton, a representative from Anti-Doping Sierra Leone, emphasized the importance of independence for the operation of all anti-doping bodies. He highlighted that Sierra Leone narrowly avoided a ban last November for not conducting any anti-doping activities.
Hon. Hindolo Ngevao, Chairman of the Parliamentary Oversight Committee, remarked that doping undermines fair play and the competence of genuine competitors. He urged athletes to break the chain of addiction. Dr. Emmanuel Saffa Abdulai Esq, the Executive Director of NSA, noted that athletes, particularly footballers, take performance-enhancing drugs for various reasons. He stressed the international obligation to establish an anti-doping agency and called on sporting organizations to refrain from monetizing such initiatives. The government is committed to protecting athletes, creating jobs for young people, and supporting sporting bodies based on merit.
In her keynote address, the Minister of Sports, Madam Augusta James-Teima, thanked the NSA for implementing the anti-doping initiative and appealed to sports stakeholders to take the session seriously.
The National Sports Authority, established by an Act of Parliament, is mandated to promote, encourage, develop, and supervise all sports and sporting activities in Sierra Leone and address other related matters.
