The 241,430 urine and non-athlete biological passport blood samples analysed and reported into the Anti-Doping Administration and Management System was up from 149,758 in 2020.

However, the number of samples analysed in 2021 was down from 2017, 2018 and 2019, when 245,232, 263,519 and 278,047 were reported respectively.

WADA director general Olivier Niggli insisted that the results of the Testing Figures Report represented a return to normality.

"We are pleased to publish the 2021 edition of WADA’s Annual Testing Figures Report, which is the most comprehensive overview of all doping control samples analysed and reported by WADA-accredited and WADA-approved laboratories around the world," he said.

"The quick return to normal testing levels around the world during the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in increases in samples collected, analysed and reported in 2021 compared to 2020.

"The Agency would like to commend the Anti-Doping Organisations and accredited laboratories around the world for their quick and effective efforts in rising to the challenges presented by COVID-19.

"The Testing Figures Report is an important tool for information-sharing between Anti-Doping Organisations as well as a foundational piece on which to build and adjust their anti-doping programmes.

"It provides the anti-doping community with valuable data and information allowing for strategy evaluation and identifying potential patterns, best practices and areas of improvement."

Increases in the total number of samples analysed and reported were recorded by nearly all of the 28 WADA-accredited laboratories and two WADA-approved laboratories for the Athlete Biological Passport.

The 22,398 non-athlete biological passport blood and dried blood samples was an increase from 10,940 in the previous year, and also a percentage increase from the total taken from 9.3 per cent to 7.3 per cent.

The number of athlete biological passport blood samples was also up by 36 per cent from 22,666 to 30,821, with two additional International Federations up to 26 and 12 additional National Anti-Doping Organisations up to 72 including this form of testing.

The percentage of adverse analytical findings reported reduced slightly from 0.67 per cent in 2020 to 0.65 per cent in 2021, although the number increased from 1,009 to 1,560.

This comes with the caveat that adverse analytical findings do not necessarily equate to anti-doping rule violations reported by Anti-Doping Organisations, who take into account therapeutic use exemptions and longitudinal studies.

A notable increase in the number of adverse analytical findings for growth hormone was reported, up to seven from one in 2020.

The 2021 report provides the first set of global testing figures under the World Anti-Doping Code that came into effect in January of that year.

The postponement to Tokyo 2020 also meant that it was an Olympic and Paralympic Games year.

The report includes sub-reports by laboratory, sport, testing authority and athlete biological passport blood analysis.