The UAE has officially launched the National Anti-Doping Platform (NPAD), a digital system designed to manage Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) applications for athletes and streamline coordination between sports, health, and government bodies.
The platform was developed by the Ministry of Interior in collaboration with the Ministry of Sport and the National Anti-Doping Agency. Its formal launch follows roughly a year of operational testing, during which procedures were refined with input from partners across the relevant sectors.
TUEs allow athletes to use medications or substances otherwise prohibited in sport when there is a legitimate medical need. Previously managed through paper forms and manual data entry, that process is now handled entirely online: athletes and medical personnel can submit, track, and complete applications electronically, with automated notifications at each stage.
Dr. Mai Ahmed Sultan Al Jaber, Chairperson of the National Anti-Doping Agency, said the platform also functions as a preventive tool. It assists medical professionals in making decisions by providing access to information on substances prohibited in sport and enabling them to check permitted treatment alternatives, she said, adding that this helps prevent inadvertent use of banned substances without restricting athletes’ access to legitimate medical care.
The platform also verifies professional licences in coordination with government authorities, ensuring that medical personnel working with sports organisations hold the required qualifications.
A centralised national database sits at the core of the system, covering athletes, healthcare practitioners, and TUE records. Officials say this supports data analysis, faster application tracking, and better reporting on doping-related risks.
Saeed bin Tuwair Al Suwaidi, Assistant Undersecretary for Security Affairs at the Ministry of Interior, said the platform is intended to improve data exchange across government, security, sports, and health entities while protecting the integrity of competition.
Lamia Al Sabousi, Assistant Undersecretary for the Sports Regulation Sector at the Ministry of Sport, said the system standardises medical exemption procedures and gives athletes, medical staff, and sports organisations clearer visibility into regulatory requirements.
The National Anti-Doping Agency called on sports federations, clubs, and medical professionals to register on the platform, saying broader participation is key to advancing clean sport at a national level. The platform’s services are accessible online and through a dedicated call centre at 600566635.
