Indonesia, North Korea and Thailand are sanctioned after the World Anti-Doping Agency confirmed that their National Anti-Doping Organizations (NADOs) are non-compliant with the World Anti-Doping Code.
WADA said that Indonesia and North Korea are guilty of “non-conformities in implementing an effective testing program” while Thailand has failed to fully implement the 2021 version of the Code by not passing the required national legislation to update its legal system.
The penalties imposed by WADA on the three countries include a ban on being awarded hosting rights to regional, continental or world championships during the entire period when they are deemed non-compliant.
As part of losing their WADA privileges, the countries will also not be able to host any event organized, co-hosted, or co-organized by WADA.
They also lose WADA funding. In addition, their representatives are not allowed to hold any office or position within WADA and cannot serve as members of the boards or committees or other bodies of any organization that is a WADA signatory until reinstatement or for a period of one year, whichever is longer.
The national flags of Indonesia, North Korea and Thailand will also not be allowed to fly at major events other than the Olympics or Paralympics for the next edition of the event or until reinstatement, whichever is longer.
Indonesia and North Korea also will be subject to supervision by an approved third party to monitor their progress in bringing their testing programs up to standard.
Two International Federations have also been declared non-compliant. The Deaf International Basketball Federation (DIBF) and International Gira Sports Federation (IGSF), like Thailand, have failed to fully implement the 2021 version of the Code.
None of the five organizations disputed WADA’s assertion of non-compliance within the 21 day appeal window, so WADA deems them to have admitted to the offenses and accepted the penalties.
WADA said three other NADOs - of the German Community of Belgium, Montenegro, and Romania - have now drafted anti-doping rules that have been assessed by WADA as being in line with the 2021 Code. These NADOs have also provided a calendar for adoption of those rules within four months. As a result, WADA’s independent Compliance Review Committee (CRC) has requested that the Agency’s Executive Committee (ExCo) changes the previous recommendation of non-compliance by adding them to a ‘watchlist’, giving them an additional four months to complete their actions to become compliant.
Homepage photo: Reuters