© Matiné Film and Television
The War on Doping

In the run up to the opening of the 2012 London Olympic games, UNESCO will host a pre-release screening of the documentary film "The War on Doping" at its Headquarters, in Paris. The gathering is expected to bring together key people from both the international sport and the world anti-doping movements.


UNESCO is a leading United Nations organization for the subject matter of sport. UNESCO members notably developed and adopted a critical legal instrument against doping in sport (the International Convention against Doping in Sport, which entered into force in 2005). For the promotion of this documentary film, UNESCO partners with Matiné Film and Television (Sweden).

This documentary film examines doping in competitive sports, at all levels, by considering intimate personal stories, in a way that has never before been examined on screen. It brings to light the issues, and the personal dilemmas for those who participate in sport.

The world’s foremost expert, Professor and medical doctor Arne Ljungvist,contributes in his own words. Mr Ljungvist is Chair of the Medical Commission of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the current Vice-President of the World Anti-doping Agency (WADA).. By following his work, the inside story of a 40-year campaign is presented. In Dr. Ljungvist’s view, the aim is not to stop cheating but to save young people from risks to their wellbeing and their lives.

The film follows Dr. Ljungvist in meetings with decision-makers in and around the most powerful sport federations. These testimonies are brought together with the experiences of athletes, legal and medical authorities, sport sponsors, parents, and people on both sides of the debate.

The projection will be followed by a debate including the participation of the film’s director, Mats Omne.