Winter Olympics anti-doping tests could begin at airports itself, overruling privacy concerns

International Testing Agency has launched High-Intensity Doping Tests at Airports for 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics; 2,200 tests planned with samples stored for up to 10 years for re-analysis

3 min readFeb 3, 2026 12:41 PM IST

Approximately 2,200 doping tests are expected to be conducted during the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. (Photo: AP)

Korean website Chosun has reported that enforcement of doping controls could begin at the airport upon athletes entry into Italy during the the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. The International Testing Agency (ITA) has announced plans to implement a high-intensity testing system spanning the entire event, starting at arrival.

Quoting the global sports media outlet Inside the Games, the Korean website reported that the ITA will conduct unannounced inspections and testing systems from the time of the participants’ arrival. ‘This measure accounts for increasingly sophisticated methods of concealing prohibited substances. While privacy infringement concerns may arise, the message prioritizing fairness is clear,’ Chosun noted.

The New York Times also reported that testing could soon be handed over to independent authorities supervised by WADA, after years of leaving it to national anti-doping agencies.

But doping controls announced for the Winter Games, could see it become the norm at future Summer Olympics too.
‘The starting line is not the stadium but the airport,’ Chosun wrote.

‘Doping is the most serious violation in sports. The use or injection of prohibited substances to enhance performance not only undermines fairness but also threatens athletes’ lives. This is why the international sports community uniformly responds with suspensions, medal revocations, and long-term disciplinary actions, regardless of intent,’ it further stated.

The Winter Olympics was where anti-doping tests first took place, introduced at the 1968 Grenoble Winter Games. ‘Following the establishment of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) in 1999, standards became stricter, and a management system allowing for retrospective reanalysis has since been institutionalized,’ Chosun noted.

Last snow Games witnessed a scandal when Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva, according to a ruling by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), had repeatedly received dozens of prohibited substances since her early teens, with drug levels far exceeding what could be attributed to simple contamination. It led to her four-year suspension.

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ITA stated, “We have prepared to apply an independent, intelligence-based anti-doping program across all event phases. In cooperation with the organizing committee and the Italian National Anti-Doping Organization, we will conduct testing proportional to risk levels across all sports and venues.”

Approximately 2,200 doping tests are expected to be conducted during the Olympics. ‘Around 3,000 samples, including urine, blood, and dried blood spot samples, will be collected. All samples will be stored in the ITA’s central facility and remain available for reanalysis for up to 10 years,’ ITA announced.

The Winter Games can get complicated due to the split-hosting format, making regulation and enforcement difficult. ITA explained that a centralized control system and close collaboration between on-site teams will ensure uniform standards across regions.

Immigration, customs, baggage collection might soon see an addition of dope testing for athletes even before they set foot in the host city.