Releases
WADA adds Tunisian National Anti-Doping Organization to compliance ‘watchlist’
As part of a circulatory vote that ended yesterday, the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA’s) Executive Committee (ExCo) approved a revised recommendation of the Agency’s independent Compliance Review Committee (CRC) to add the Tunisian National Anti-Doping Organization (ANAD) to WADA’s compliance ‘watchlist’1.
On 16 November 2023, the ExCo accepted the CRC’s recommendation to allege ANAD as non-compliant with the World Anti-Doping Code (Code) due to a failure to appropriately implement the Code into its national legal framework.
In the days following the ExCo, ANAD provided a clear calendar for adoption of the amendments which are required to bring the Tunisian legal framework in line with the Code within four months. At the same time, critical corrective actions from an audit conducted in March 2023 were signed off. On this basis, the CRC has updated its recommendation for inclusion on the ‘watchlist’.
As per the International Standard for Code Compliance by Signatories (ISCCS), by adding ANAD to the ‘watchlist’, the ExCo has given it four months to execute its corrective action plan. If by 6 April 2024 the non-conformity has not been corrected to the satisfaction of the CRC, ANAD will be alleged as non-compliant with the Code without the need for a further decision by the ExCo.
The CRC is responsible for providing independent advice, guidance and recommendations to WADA Management and governing bodies on matters relating to Signatories' compliance with their obligations under the Code.
Note:
(1) Under ISCCS Article 8.4.5, if a Signatory has provided a Corrective Action Plan that explains to the satisfaction of the CRC how the Signatory will correct its Non-Conformitiy/es within four months, then the CRC may recommend to WADA’s ExCo that it decide (a) to give the Signatory that period (starting to run from the date of the ExCo’s decision) to correct the Non-Conformity/ies, and (b) that the formal notice described in ISCCS Article 8.4.4 shall be sent to the Signatory upon expiry of that timeframe (without the need for a further decision by the ExCo) if the CRC considers that the Non-Conformity/ies has/have not been corrected in full by then.
