WADA presents compliance report and reveals budget freeze

World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has published its Compliance Report, the conclusion of a three-year monitoring process where WADA assessed the anti-doping rules and regulations of signatories to its Code. Moreover, WADA announced that the organisation's budget for 2012 could not be increased due to the current economic crisis and would therefore remain the same as this year.

The Compliance Report showed that many European National Anti-Doping Organizations (NADO's) were non-compliant with the World Anti-Doping Code: Albania, Andorra, Belgium (German Community), Belgium (City of Brussels), Greece, Malta, Monaco, Portugal and San Marino.

On the two American continents, a total of 7 NADO's were also cited as not having achieved the criteria agreed by the WADA Executive Committee in September 2010. These were Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Dominican Republic, Guyana, Haiti and Uruguay.

"WADA is all too aware that in this current economic climate it is sometimes difficult for the NADO's to implement changes at the speed within a normal timeframe," stated WADA President John Fahey. "We have had regular communication with all signatories listed as non-compliant, and we are encouraged by the fact there is a will to achieve compliance, even though the reality is proving much harder."

On a more positive note, Fahey pointed towards the 100 percent compliance that was found for the 35 Olympic International Federations as well as for the 32 IOC Recognized International Sports Federations.

However, WADA's need for a two percent budget increase was not approved by the Foundation Board. Instead, it was decided that in light of the current economic turbulence worldwide, the Agency would operate at the same level of funding.

"Clearly it is not an ideal situation to have our budget frozen at a time when associated costs have risen and when the rate of inflation in Canada is running at 3 percent," said Fahey. "But economies across the world are facing severe economic problems and WADA understands the harsh reality, which is that there is not much money to go around at the moment."