North Korea is ramping up its anti-doping education efforts for athletes.
On Sunday, the North Korean Anti-Doping Agency published four new documents on its website covering “Whereabouts Reporting,” “Understanding Doping Tests,” “Nutritional Supplements,” and “Reporting Procedures.”
The “Whereabouts Reporting” document emphasizes the importance of athletes providing accurate and complete location information when required. Athletes are required to submit their residence and contact details through the World Anti‑Doping Agency’s Anti-Doping Administration and Management System (ADAMS), which enables unannounced tests.
The “Nutritional Supplements” document warns athletes about the hidden dangers of doping through everyday actions. It stresses that athletes must align all their behaviors with anti-doping rules and highlights supplements as one of the riskiest sources of inadvertent doping. The agency cautions that athletes can unintentionally ingest banned substances through improperly labeled supplements.
To illustrate the risk, North Korea shared a case involving a female weightlifter identified only as K, who tested positive after using a nutritional supplement before competition. The agency said she was unaware of the potential for contamination during manufacturing or the presence of unlisted prohibited substances in the supplements.
The “Reporting Procedures” document explains that the WADA reporting programme is open to anyone. It serves as a channel for athletes and others to report suspected doping activity, including any anti-doping rule violations or behaviours that undermine clean sport. The agency acknowledged the challenge of reporting and urged that silence is not an option.
The website also guides athletes on how to apply for Therapeutic Use Exemptions, detailing the application process and providing the necessary forms — reinforcing the importance of compliance with international anti-doping standards.
North Korean sports have recently garnered attention due to the country’s successes in international competitions. It stated that at a recent championship involving over 80 countries, North Korea claimed 17 gold medals and set 10 world records in weightlifting. Additionally, on November 9, it secured back-to-back titles in the 2025 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.
During the COVID-19 lockdown, North Korea banned foreign visitors, including WADA inspectors, which led to sanctions such as prohibiting its national flag from being displayed at international events.
The country later eased border restrictions and allowed anti-doping officials to enter, regaining compliance with doping regulations in January of the previous year. In February, North Korea’s anti-doping agency launched its official website, signalling a commitment to international norms.
In April, the North Korean agency disclosed on its website that six national athletes had faced disciplinary action for doping violations between 2023 and early this year.