The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) says it will hold an anti-doping intelligence workshop in Grand Cayman in June 2027, hosted by the Cayman Islands Government.

The Global Anti-Doping Intelligence and Investigations Network (GAIIN) is a global initiative led by WADA’s Intelligence and Investigations department. It was created to improve cooperation, intelligence-sharing and investigative skills among Anti-Doping Organisations and law enforcement authorities around the world.

The event will bring together anti-doping and law enforcement stakeholders for training and co-operation. Minister Isaac Rankine endorsed the letter of intent on behalf of the Cayman Islands Government. The government said the workshop would serve regional anti-doping efforts as well as Cayman’s own sporting sector.

WADA said Cayman has been a strong partner

WADA said the June 2027 meeting would form part of the next phase of GAIIN’s expansion into the Americas, beginning at the end of 2026, after workshops already scheduled for Peru in November 2026 and Ecuador in March 2027.

Günter Younger, WADA Director, Intelligence and Investigations, said the agency was pleased to formalise the agreement with the Cayman Islands Government:

"WADA's Intelligence and Investigations Department is pleased to formalise its agreement with the Government of the Cayman Islands to host a Global Anti-Doping Intelligence and Investigations Network initiative workshop in 2027," he said. "The Cayman Islands has been a strong partner to WADA and continues to show a strong commitment to the development and protection of clean sport in the Caribbean."

The workshop could have implications for Cayman athletes, sports bodies and enforcement agencies, if it improves regional co-operation and information-sharing. WADA said that was one of the aims of the programme.

The project builds on earlier work carried out through the I&I Capability and Capacity Building Project in Europe and Asia/Oceania. Its purpose is practical. It aims to help agencies work together more effectively when dealing with doping-related threats.

WADA said GAIIN had supported more than 250 operations and contributed to major seizures and laboratory closures. The agency presented the figures as evidence that intelligence-led co-operation had produced results but did not say how much of that work involved Caribbean partners.

Those figures showed why WADA and its partners had placed such emphasis on intelligence-led work. The agency said the results demonstrated what could be achieved when law enforcement agencies and National Anti-Doping Organisations worked together.

March visit helped pave the way

In March 2026, WADA’s Intelligence and Investigations team visited Cayman to gauge interest in hosting a workshop. It was not clear what the visit was expected to cost, who would pay for the event, or what commitments the Government made at that stage.

During the same period, WADA also formalised an agreement with the Government of Jamaica and the Jamaica Anti-Doping Commission to host a workshop in September 2027. The Cayman Islands and Jamaica workshops were set to follow the sessions already planned for Peru and Ecuador.

The planned workshops were expected to be tailored to the needs of the region. WADA said they would focus on intelligence functions and investigative techniques, confidential source management, open-source research, and analytical and interviewing methods.

For Cayman, the 2027 anti-doping intelligence workshop is expected to bring training and closer regional co-operation. It also shows the Islands’ role as a Caribbean partner in an international network that relies on shared information and shared purpose.