The anti-doping agency NADA is running out of money

Eall the thanks for the work and all the respect for Andrea Gotzmann’s performance, which preceded practically every speech in the Bundestag Sports Committee on Wednesday, seemed a bit embarrassing. Praise and recognition for the outgoing CEO of the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) was also expressed in the fact that the organization, which she will have led for almost twelve years when she leaves in the summer, as the benchmark and core of an integrity agency for German sport was described. Just like athletes Germany suggested and politicians promised.

But the MPs failed the reality test. Because Andrea Gotzmann not only issued a declaration of no objection for all 62 sports associations funded by the federal government with regard to their structures for preventing and combating doping. Rather, she pointed out the acute limitations to her work and thus the diminishing effect of the fight against doping. Due to price increases of up to thirty percent, especially in analytics, she explained to the MPs, the number of samples would have to be reduced by twenty percent.

Chronic underfunding

This is a consequence of the budget, which has remained the same for years at 10.7 million euros, in other words: chronic underfunding. Based on the figures for 2021, this means that 3,200 fewer samples will be taken and – since urine and blood samples are sometimes taken at the same time – 2,500 controls will be canceled. Every fifth check does not take place.

The Federal Government supports NADA with everything that is necessary, said Parliamentary State Secretary Mahmut Özdemir in the committee. However, since NADA’s budget was not fully spent last year and almost 500,000 euros would be carried over to this year, an increase is not possible.

No sign of an alarm mood. Not only athletes, but also those who sponsor them with millions from taxpayers, always refer to the comprehensive and honest work of the doping control officers from Bonn. The absence of controls damages the credibility of the entire system by more than a fifth.

After all, Nada found 15 actual doping violations last year, which was also known to the committee. The best-known is that of soccer professional Mario Vušković from Hamburger SV, who was sentenced to a two-year ban for epo-doping. Nada and HSV have announced appeals. In another ten cases, the proceedings are still ongoing. In 49 cases in which the analysis pointed to violations of the rules, these were not the case, for example through rule-compliant exemptions for medicines.

Frank Ullrich, the chairman of the sports committee, had to give up his seat on the NADA supervisory board because of open questions about his work as a biathlon coach in GDR sports. It’s been a year since he promised to commission an expert opinion on his possible involvement. He also thanked Andrea Gotzmann and claimed to have enjoyed working with her in a spirit of trust during his fifteen years as national coach. Not a word about his past, no indication that he had commissioned the report. His silence on the matter was the most embarrassing contribution to the debate.