Future of Rio 2016 Anti-Doping Tests Remains Unclear

(ATR) IOC Executive Director Christophe Dubi hopes all Olympic anti-doping tests will be done in Brazil.

Dubi spoke to reporters during the inauguration of the Olympic velodrome, where he said it was possible the lab could be re-accredited before the Games but could not guarantee it.

The World-Anti Doping Agency suspended the Rio de Janeiro anti-doping laboratory for "failing to meet international standards" on June 22.

"WADA has to come back [to Brazil] with a team of experts, and they need to restart the process for the accreditation of the lab," Dubi said.

"This is something that is doable, but there are a number of steps that need to be taken."

Dubi said that no matter the outcome from the WADA team, there would be "robust testing, hopefully in Brazil." He could guarantee that all international stakeholders would work to find a solution to ensure that the chain of custody for samples would not be broken if samples needed to be flown to another WADA-accredited lab for testing.

If the Rio lab could not be re-accredited before the Games begin, samples could be flown to fully operational labs in Bogota, Colombia, Havana, Cuba, Mexico City and Los Angeles and Salt Lake City in the United States.

Another possible solution is to fly the tests to Switzerland, which was done during the 2014 World Cup. All samples were tested within the 36-hour window during the World Cup, but cost organizers around $250,000.

Last Minute Federal Funds Adhere To Olympic Agenda 2020

Christophe Dubi told Around the Rings a nearly $850 million injection by the federal government to cover Games’ security costs is still in line with Olympic Agenda 2020.

The last minute cash injection will help the Rio de Janeiro state government fund security measures for the Olympic Games, preventing a collapse of services needed to protect tourists and athletes. The funds were only possible because the state government declared a "public state of calamity in financial management," as the government had simply run out of money to pay for services.

Dubi called the ways all level of governments have worked to fund the Games, "very intelligent," specifically the Public-Private Partnership which has shifted most of the costs of sporting venue construction to private companies.

"Now, what you are marking reference to, are some of the last minute increase including the security area which is probably the right decision," Dubi said to ATR. "There I believe that what we have done collectively as the Olympic movement is to find the right solution. That is the main thing that we should retain."

Many of the objectives adopted in Olympic Agenda 2020 have worked to reduce the cost of bidding and hosting the Olympic Games, so that more cities are able to host the Olympics responsibly. A total of $10-12 billion is expected to be spent for Rio 2016, although a majority of that money has been spent by all three levels of government on infrastructure upgrades to prepare the city to host the Olympics.

"One condition that you expect when you are a participant in the Games is safety," Dubi added. "We always say that it is a priority, so you take the measures that are needed according to the risk assessment.

"It demonstrates that the spirit of Agenda 2020 when it comes to finding the solutions we do."

Written by Aaron Bauer in Rio de Janeiro

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