By Aja Beyai
In a powerful showing on the global stage, Hagie Drammeh, Public Relations Officer of the Gambia National Paralympic Committee, stepped up to the plate for President Sulayman Colley at the 2025 World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Annual Symposium in Lausanne, Switzerland. The event, dubbed “Going Further Together,” drew nearly 1,000 heavy hitters from the worldwide anti-doping league, all united in their mission to keep sports pure.
The symposium was a full-court press of 15 interactive sessions, tackling everything from forging powerhouse partnerships and cutting-edge anti-doping research to managing whistle-blowers and ensuring ethical data playbooks.
Delegates huddled up to amplify the athlete’s voice, tackle contamination fouls, and craft strategic game plans to educate the next generation of competitors.
With an eye on the 2027 Code and International Standards, the focus was clear: protecting athlete rights is the ultimate goal.
Drammeh didn’t hold back, delivering a clutch performance with his take on teamwork. “Clean sport is a shared responsibility,” he declared, “and together we can ensure fairness and integrity for all athletes.” His standout moment underscored The Gambia’s relentless drive to champion doping-free competition and prioritize athlete well-being.
WADA President Witold Bańka brought his A-game, rallying the crowd with a call for unwavering collaboration among anti-doping squads. Reflecting on the tough plays of 2024—especially contamination curveballs—Bańka stressed the ongoing effort to refine the World Anti-Doping Code. He also threw a hard foul at the Enhanced Games, a rogue project pushing substance abuse, slamming it as a threat to athlete health. “Their well-being is our top seed,” Bańka insisted, urging all stakeholders to join the full-court press against such initiatives.
Drammeh’s star turn at the symposium cemented The Gambia’s place in the starting lineup of WADA’s mission. With this performance, the nation signaled it’s all-in on clean sport, ready to hustle for a fair and ethical playing field for athletes everywhere.
