The Azerbaijan National Anti-Doping Agency (AMADA) took part in the 4th International Conference “Data Sciences at the Service of the Anti-Doping Fight”, held on 3–4 October in Tunis under the auspices of the Tunisian Anti-Doping Agency (ANAD).
Idman.biz reports that the event gathered senior representatives from across the African continent and beyond, including experts from national anti-doping organisations, athlete integrity units, law enforcement bodies, laboratories and international institutions. Speakers reflected a broad professional and geographic spectrum — from Europe, North Africa and the Middle East — underscoring the increasingly global dimension of intelligence-led and data-driven anti-doping efforts.
Dr. Tahmina Taghi-zada, CEO of AMADA, and Dr. Rufat Efendiyev, Deputy CEO, delivered a joint presentation titled “Using Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Anti-Doping: Between Innovation and Responsibility.” Their intervention explored how AI tools can enhance detection, intelligence and testing strategies while safeguarding privacy, fairness and due process. The discussion also emphasised gender mainstreaming as a vital element of inclusive and future-oriented anti-doping governance.
Other keynote speakers addressed topics such as confidential information handling, forensic analysis, inter-agency coordination, data-fusion methodologies and cooperation between anti-doping authorities and law enforcement. Contributions from France, Austria, Poland, the Athletics Integrity Unit, Interpol and regional African bodies highlighted both shared challenges and growing capacity across the continent.
The conference reinforced rising interest in AI, ethical safeguards and inclusivity across the global anti-doping movement, with Tunisia emerging as a regional hub for dialogue and innovation. Beyond the technical debates, the exchanges reflected a shared conviction that clean sport is not only about detection, but about fairness, trust and the long-term integrity of athletes and institutions alike.
