The National Anti Doping Agency of Germany (NADA Germany) welcomes the decision of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) that the online publication of the names of athletes who have breached anti-doping regulations is, in principle, compatible with European data protection law. The ruling strengthens anti-doping efforts. The Court clearly emphasises that anti-doping work pursues an objective in the public interest: it safeguards fair and honest sporting competition, ensures equal opportunities for athletes, protects athletes’ health and upholds the ethical values of sport. The Court also emphasises that the publication of anti-doping rule violations is appropriate for achieving anti-doping objectives, as it contributes to deterrence, education and the demonstrable effectiveness of sanctions.
On the other hand, the ruling shows that, within the scope of the General Data Protection Regulation, there must always be valid legal grounds, and that the competent authority must always carry out an individual assessment of the interests involved in each specific case before publishing a sanction decision relating to a specific individual on the internet.
On this basis, NADA Germany will now carefully analyse the guidance and requirements set out by the CJEU and assess how online publication can be implemented in Germany in a legally sound manner. This will also involve examining whether, and to what extent, legal provisions in Germany need to be amended. However, a harmonised and transparent approach is essential for anti-doping work. NADA Germany will therefore continue to advocate for internationally uniform solutions to be found on the basis of the judgement, and for the implementation of uniform and robust anti-doping regulations to always be carried out in accordance with the rights of athletes.
The CJEU’s ruling can be found here: https://curia.europa.eu/site/upload/docs/application/pdf/2026-07/cp260103en.pdf