The 2025 World Conference on Doping in Sport, which marks the 6th World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) General Assembly, will be held for the first time in Asia at BEXCO in Busan from Tuesday, December 2 to Friday, December 5, 2025. Hosted by WADA and organized by Busan Metropolitan City and the Korea Anti-Doping Agency, this Conference is the largest international forum in the sports sector and takes place every six years. Minister CHAE Hwi-young of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST) will visit the venue and work with global sports leaders to establish new standards for fair sport.

Global sports leaders including members of the International Olympic Committee, World Anti-Doping Agency, international sports federations, and sports ministers to gather in Busan

Prominent figures from across the international sports community—including global organizations, international sports federations, and government officials—will gather together in Busan to attend the Conference. Minister CHAE Hwi-young of MCST and Korean Sports & Olympic Committee President RYU Seung-Min will be joined by WADA President Witold Bańka and Vice-President Yang Yang, IOC President Kirsty Coventry, former IOC President Thomas Bach, and IOC Athletes’ Commission Chair Emma Terho.

More than 20 IOC members and leaders of various international sports federations will also be attending, including Khunying Patama Leeswadtrakul, President of the Badminton World Federation; Nenad Lalović, President of United World Wrestling; Ingmar de Vos, President of the International Equestrian Federation; David Lappartient, President of the Union Cycliste Internationale; Jean-Christophe Rolland, President of World Rowing; and Petra Sörling, President of the International Table Tennis Federation. Kim Yeon-koung—Athlete Commissioner of the Korea Anti-Doping Agency and former volleyball player—will also attend as an official Conference Ambassador.

This Conference will bring together over 2,000 participants from 191 countries to discuss the future directions of doping-free, fair sport. Notably, it will finalize revisions to the World Anti-Doping Code (WADA Code) and its International Standards, which all international sports federations and national anti-doping organizations must follow for the six-year period beginning in 2027. The WADA Code is the core global framework ensuring that all athletes compete under consistent and fair rules. Key revisions include strengthened protection for youth athletes and enhanced respect for the independence of national anti-doping organizations’ governance.

Minister CHAE hosts welcome dinner on December 1, launching a full schedule of events through December 5

The Conference will begin with a welcome dinner hosted by Minister CHAE Hwi-young at APEC House in Haeundae’s Nuri Village on December 1. The official program will start on December 2 with the opening ceremony, attended by approximately 1,200 participants including Kirsty Coventry, the IOC President and Zimbabwean Olympic swimming gold medalist; Yang Yang, WADA Vice President and Chinese short track speed skating gold medalist; Koji Murofushi, former Japanese Sports Agency Director and hammer throw gold medalist; and RYU Seung-Min, President of the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee and table tennis gold medalist. Kim Yeon-koung will also deliver a special message on sports integrity as Conference Ambassador.

The main sessions and meetings will be held from December 3 to 5. On December 3, a welcome dinner will be hosted by Busan Mayor Park Hyeong-joon. On December 4, a dinner for IOC members will be hosted by Kim Dae-hyun, Vice Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, along with President RYU Seung-Min of the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee. At the closing ceremony on December 5, the Busan Declaration will be announced, outlining commitments to strengthened international cooperation in anti-doping, sports integrity, and athlete protection.

Youth-focused events have also been prepared. Emma Terho, Chair of the IOC Athletes’ Commission and Finnish ice hockey player, together with approximately 15 WADA Athlete Commissioners and Athlete Commissioners of the Korea Anti-Doping Agency—including Kim Yeon-koung, Won Yun-jong, Ki Bo-bae, Kim Na-ra, and Kim Dong-hyun—will visit Busan Sport High School and Gyeongnam Girls Middle School on the morning of December 2. They will share the value of fair competition and insights from their athletic careers with aspiring young athletes.

To introduce Busan’s cultural offerings, a tourism program will feature visits to signature attractions such as Haedong Yonggungsa Temple, Gamcheon Culture Village, and Gukje Market. The program has already attracted 400 advance registrants, signaling strong interest.

MCST Minister CHAE Hwi-young stated, “It is a great honor for Korea to play such a central role at this pivotal moment, as athletes, governments, and international sports organizations from around the world gather to establish new standards for fair sport. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism will maintain the momentum of this Conference to work with countries worldwide to advance transparent regulations, strengthen scientific capacity, and enhance athlete safety.”