WADA dismisses Russian laboratory; Suspends North Korea, Thailand and Indonesian doping organizations

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) again revoked the approval of the Moscow anti-doping laboratory and confirmed the non-compliance of five anti-doping organizations.

In a lightning week of compliance activity by the World Anti-Doping Authority, which includes a review of the Nike Oregon Project in Track and Field, WADA again pushed the Russian authorities for non-compliance.

This time, the WADA Executive Committee approved the recommendation of the WADA Disciplinary Committee to revoke the “approved” status of the Moscow National Anti-Doping Laboratory (Moscow Lab) to perform analysis of blood samples exclusively for women. purposes of the athlete’s biological passport, due to non-conformities with the International Standard for Laboratories and its Code of Ethics.

The Moscow Lab has 21 days to appeal the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

The endorsement of the executive committee is not based on new information; rather, it was the continuation of previous proceedings that was put on hold while the larger case between WADA and the Russian Anti-Doping Authority was pending before the CAS. After a decision in this case was rendered on December 17, 2020, WADA reopened the disciplinary proceedings to revoke the status of the Russian laboratory.

The Russian laboratory has been provisionally suspended since January 2020. The revocation of the status of a laboratory is a more severe result than the suspension of the status of a laboratory, and indicates a

The cause for the revocation was WADA’s findings among lab data that a number of cases handled by that lab had been tampered with and that bogus messages were added to files to implicate witnesses. Russian authorities have denied that the data was deliberately tampered with.

While most drug lab testing was stopped in 2015, when cover-up reports began to circulate, they were allowed to resume. some blood tests in May 2016, including acceptance of swimming, tennis and athletics samples. At that time, control was transferred to Moscow State University.

Since blood samples break down faster than most common urine samples, proximity is important. The closest laboratory to the population centers of Western Russia is in Warsaw, Poland, a 15-hour drive from Moscow. Kazan, which frequently hosts major international swimming events, is even further, around a 26-hour drive, from Warsaw.

Russian public news agency TASS said on Friday that President Vladimir Putin had ordered reports regarding the full restoration of the Russian Anti-Doping Authority with WADA and the All-Russian Athletics Federation with World Athletics.

CAS reduced the initial four-year suspension granted by WADA to just two years, which will expire in December 2022. The terms of the suspension included limiting the Russian flag or anthem from showing at sporting events international sporting events, prohibiting Russia from hosting some (but not all) international sporting events and preventing Russian officials from holding positions in international governing bodies while the suspension is in effect.

Non-compliance of 5 organizations

In September, WADA declared eight signatories to the World Anti-Doping Code non-compliant.

The majority of these organizations did not comply with the new anti-doping rules that came into effect in 2021. Three of these organizations have drafted anti-doping rules that are compliant and have four months to formally adopt these rules. This adds them to a WADA “watch list”, but modifies the previous recommendation of non-compliance.

Non-compliant organizations, lack of code implementation

• International Deaf Basketball Federation (DIBF)
• Gira International Sports Federation (IGSF)
• Thailand ONAD

Non-compliant organizations, non-compliance with the code

• Democratic People’s Republic of Korea NADO (North Korea)
• Indonesia NADO

Drafting of 2021 compliant rules, on WADA’s “watch list”

• Montenegro NADO
• Romania NADO
• National Anti-Doping Organization of the German Community of Belgium (NADO)

The three national anti-doping organizations, North Korea, Thailand and Indonesia, will receive sanctions similar to Russia, although some of these sanctions, especially those relating to the organization of events, have not been strictly applied to Russia.

Individuals from these countries will not be eligible to serve as members of boards or committees or other bodies of any Signatory or its members until their reinstatement or one year, whichever is longer. They will also not be permitted to host regional, continental or world championship events, or events hosted by major event organizations, during the non-compliance period.

Their flags will also not fly at regional, continental or world championship events, other than the Olympics and Paralympics, for the next edition of that event or until reinstated – whichever is longer. .

will lose WADA privileges, will not receive any funding from WADA, will not be eligible to participate in various WADA programs and activities.

Deaf basketball risks being excluded from major future events outside the Paralympic Games.

The IGSF is considered “outside the Olympic movement” and therefore has a much simpler sanction: its status as a signatory of the Code is terminated and its costs will not be reimbursed. The IGSF governs competitive kettlebell competition.

While none of these countries have any future major swimming-specific competitions in their host calendar, this could complicate Indonesia’s bid for the 2036 Olympics. Thailand is set to host the Asian Games. Southeastern 2025, which is a multisport event including swimming.