DOPING
WADA Suspends Africa’s Only Anti-doping Laboratory –
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has suspended the accreditation of South Africa’s Bloemfontein Anti-Doping Laboratory, the only accredited laboratory in Africa, for “multiple non-conformities” with international standards.
WADA has announced that it has suspended the accreditation of Africa’s only accredited anti-doping laboratory from 1 March, due to “multiple non-compliances” to meet international standards. In a statement, WADA said it had suspended the accreditation of the South African Anti-Doping Laboratory in Bloemfontein for up to six months.
The Bloemfontein laboratory had already been placed under some restrictions in September last year, while other anti-doping activities were allowed to continue.
However, WADA said that experts had advised the agency to suspend the facility’s accreditation due to “multiple non-conformities with the International Standard for Laboratories”. WADA said the Bloemfontein laboratory had accepted the suspension, which came into effect on 1 March.
“The suspension … prohibits the laboratory from conducting any anti-doping activities, including the analysis of urine and blood samples, with the exception of analyses related to the haematology module of the Athlete Biological Passport,” WADA said in a statement.
WADA said the laboratory will be allowed to apply for reinstatement once it has demonstrated that all identified “non-conformities” have been addressed.
As a result, testing must be conducted at another accredited laboratory during the suspension period. Samples awaiting analysis, samples undergoing confirmation procedures, and any samples for which an Adverse Analytical Finding has been reported must be sent to another WADA-accredited laboratory for analysis.
“This is to ensure the continued high quality of sample analysis, which will also help to maintain athletes’ confidence in the process and the anti-doping system as a whole,” WADA concluded.
This sanction comes at a time when WADA is implementing the Athlete Engagement and Anti-Doping Legacy programmes at the 2023 African Games to promote clean sport during the 2023 African Games in Accra, Ghana. WADA will have its Athlete Engagement and Major Event Legacy (MEAL) teams present at the Games, which will be held from 8 to 23 March 2024.
The 13th edition of the Games will see over 5,000 athletes from around 50 countries compete in 30 sports. Before the start of the African Games, the African Union Commission (AUC), with the support of WADA, will host a high-level forum on anti-doping in sport on 7 March 2024.
The Forum will be attended by African Ministers of Sport and other senior government officials, leaders of the African sports movement, Regional Anti-Doping Organisations (RADOs), National Anti-Doping Organisations (NADOs) and other clean sport stakeholders. The event will serve as a consultation and information exchange, as well as an opportunity to network and develop anti-doping policies across the continent.
Rodney Swigelaar, Director of WADA’s Africa Office, said: “The Anti-Doping Forum to be held during the African Games promises to be powerful. It is important to assess and discuss anti-doping issues and to consider African solutions to doping problems in an African context. The workshop will provide another opportunity to promote the work to develop the capacity of anti-doping programmes.”
“The Athlete Engagement Team, led by African athletes, will have the important task of interacting with athletes and their support staff throughout the event. The MEAL programme will play a role in connecting with anti-doping professionals and strengthening the capacity of anti-doping organisations in the region.” The team includes athletes such as Ganzi Semu Mugala (Uganda), Ngon Ntama (Cameroon), Khotso Mokoena (South Africa) and Nathalie Bashala (Democratic Republic of Congo).
The MEAL programme aims to provide quality support to the various stakeholders involved in the delivery of the Games’ anti-doping programme. It focuses on supporting the development of anti-doping programmes by Major Event Organizations and other key stakeholders, while promoting clean sport in regions of the world where anti-doping activities are limited, such as Africa.
Specific actions include: supporting the training of local DCOs (16 DCOs, 20 chaperones, 23 coaches); supporting the participation of 15 international DCOs and other experts from the continent to increase knowledge in the region and build bridges for future editions of the Games; strengthening the structures and operations of the African Union Commission as a new signatory to the WADA Code; and providing an in-country advisory team to support the implementation of the anti-doping programme.
-Insidethegames
DOPING
Ajunwa Foundation Marks UN International Day Against Drug Abuse with Seminar in Lagos, Calls for United Front
As the world marks the United Nations International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking this Thursday, the Chioma Ajunwa Foundation will lead Nigeria’s commemoration with its annual seminar focused on combating the growing scourge of substance abuse among youths.
The event, scheduled to take place at the National Institute for Sports (NIS) Gymnasium, inside the National Stadium in Lagos, will feature the theme: “Golden Dreams Without Drug Abuse or Trafficking.”
According to Dr. Chioma Ajunwa-Oparah, Olympic gold medallist and President of the Foundation, the seminar aligns with the global observance initiated by the United Nations to raise awareness of the major problems that illicit drugs represent to society, particularly among vulnerable youth populations.
“June 26 is not just another date—it is a global call to action,” Ajunwa-Oparah stated. “On this day, nations unite to say no to drug abuse and trafficking, and our foundation is proud to be part of that global movement, especially here in Nigeria where the impact is deeply felt.”
Ajunwa-Oparah stressed that the seminar is aimed at educating young Nigerians on the dangers of drug use while providing positive examples of how to achieve success without turning to mind-altering substances or engaging in drug trafficking.
“Sadly, the economic and social pressures many of our youths face have made drugs a tempting escape. But we must not allow this menace to define their future,” she warned. “Across Nigeria and the continent, we see the consequences—young lives derailed, families broken, and streets filled with dreams turned to despair.”
The seminar will bring together policymakers, youth advocates, health experts, educators, and former addicts, who will all contribute to a collective discussion on tackling drug abuse from multiple fronts.
By aligning with the United Nations observance, the Chioma Ajunwa Foundation reinforces the message that fighting drug abuse is not just a local or national challenge—but a shared global responsibility.
“We want every young person to know that golden dreams are still possible—without drugs and without crime,” Ajunwa-Oparah concluded.
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DOPING
Aftermath of Sinner’s sin, Djokovic says players believe there is favouritism in anti-doping system
Novak Djokovic said a majority of players believe favouritism is at play in the tennis anti-doping system and called for it to be overhauled in the wake of cases involving Jannik Sinner and Iga Swiatek.
Sinner on Saturday accepted a three-month doping ban after testing positive for anabolic agent clostebol last year, while Swiatek served a one-month ban at the end of 2024 when the banned substance trimetazidine (TMZ) showed up in her test.
While Djokovic was not suggesting that either of the Grand Slam champions had intentionally done anything wrong, he did say there were inconsistencies in their treatment at the hands of the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA).
“The two cases of Iga Swiatek and Jannik Sinner have attracted a lot of attention and it’s not a good image for our sport,” the 24-times Grand Slam champion said at the Qatar Open on Monday.
“A majority of the players don’t feel that (the process is) fair. A majority of the players feel like there is favouritism happening
“It appears that you can almost affect the outcome if you are a top player, if you have access to the top lawyers and whatnot,” Djokovic added.
Other current and former players such as Nick Kyrgios, Stan Wawrinka and Tim Henman have raised questions over Sinner’s case, the latter suggesting that the expiration of his ban just before the Rome Masters and French Open was “too convenient”.
Djokovic, who co-founded the Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA) as a voice for the athletes in the game, said there was a widespread mistrust of the entire doping process among his fellow players.
“I think right now it’s the ripe time for us to address the system, because the system and the structure obviously doesn’t work on anti-doping, it’s obvious,” the 37-year-old Serbian said.
“I hope in the near future the governing bodies are going to come together, of our Tours and the tennis ecosystem, and try to find a more effective way to deal with these processes.
“It’s inconsistent and it appears to be very unfair.”
Sinner’s agreement with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), who had appealed when the Italian was cleared without punishment last year, recognised his explanation that tainted products used by his masseur had been behind the positive test.
“Sinner got suspended for three months because of the mistakes and the negligence of his team members that are working on the (ATP) Tour, so that’s also something that I personally, and a lot of players, find a bit strange,” Djokovic said.
Djokovic pointed out that it looked like very different processes were followed by the ITIA in doping cases involving the likes of Romanian Simona Halep and Briton Tara Moore.
“There are so many inconsistencies between the cases,” he said.
“We have seen on social media Simona Halep and Tara Moore and some other players that are maybe less known that have been struggling to resolve their cases for years, or have gotten the ban for years.
“We have to bear in mind that Sinner and Swiatek at the time were number ones in the world when we had those announcements happening,” he added.
-Reuters
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DOPING
Spanish athlete banned for four years after falsifying documents in whereabouts failure probe
Spanish runner Mohamed Katir has been banned for four years by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) for falsifying documents during a probe into his whereabouts failures for which he was already suspended for two years earlier this year.
Katir had admitted to three whereabouts failures during 2023.
Under WADA’s “whereabouts” rule, all athletes must make themselves available to drug testers for one hour a day for out-of-competition testing.
Under the World Athletics anti-doping rules, three whereabouts failures within a 12-month period result in a rule violation.
The 26-year-old, who won the silver medal in the 5,000m at the World Athletics Championships last year, will serve both bans concurrently, extending his ineligibility to compete until February 2028.
“Katir… was found to have falsified travel documents (namely a travel itinerary, boarding pass and booking confirmation) in an attempt to mislead investigators,” the AIU said in a statement.
However, the Disciplinary Tribunal that ruled in the case denied the AIU’s request to have Katir’s results to be disqualified from March 9, 2023 because he had not benefited from a competitive advantage, the statement added.
“The vast majority of our elite athletes respect the strict rules and processes of the sport and they should take heart at the action being taken to ensure a level playing field,” AIU head Brett Clothier said.
-Reuters
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