Releases
WADA update on the compliance status of the National Anti-Doping Organizations of Nigeria and Venezuela
Further to the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA's) Executive Committee (ExCo) meeting of 16 November 2023, WADA wishes to update stakeholders regarding the ExCo’s decision to follow the recommendation of WADA’s independent Compliance Review Committee (CRC) to allege non-compliance, consequences and reinstatement conditions against the Nigerian and Venezuelan National Anti-Doping Organizations (NADOs).
The Nigerian NADO has yet to address several critical requirements following an audit carried out by WADA in late 2022, while the Venezuelan NADO has not addressed a number of critical requirements to its anti-doping program following the Code Compliance Questionnaire exercise.
Under Article 9.3.1 of the International Standard for Code Compliance by Signatories (ISCCS), the two NADOs had 21 days following the date of receipt of the formal notice of non-compliance to dispute the allegation of non-compliance and/or the consequences and/or the reinstatement conditions proposed by the Agency.
WADA has received, prior the expiry of the 21-day period mentioned above, formal notification from the Nigerian NADO and the Venezuelan NADO that they dispute WADA’s allegation of non-compliance. WADA will shortly refer the matter to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) for its consideration. As such, the consequences will not apply until CAS makes its ruling.
There are currently five non-compliant Code Signatories. They are the NADOs of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Gabon and Russia, as well as the Olympic Council of Asia and the International Fitness and Bodybuilding Federation.
For more information on the Code Signatories and the consequences, please visit the ‘Global list of non-compliant signatories and applicable consequences’ page of WADA’s website. While WADA will monitor the implementation of the consequences, other Signatories to the Code must recognize and implement the consequences in full.
