The World Anti-Doping Association (WADA) has reinstated the National Anti-Doping Organization of Tunisia (ANAD) and expressed “deep concern” over the arrest of the Director General of that organization.
WADA said in a statement:
“The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has expressed its deep concern following the arrest of the Director General of the National Anti-Doping Organization of Tunisia (ANAD) and dismissal from his role for simply trying to abide by the consequences of ANAD’s non-compliance with the World Anti-Doping Code (Code).
WADA supports the efforts of ANAD and International Federations to uphold the decision by the WADA Executive Committee to assert non-compliance in this case. Reports that the ANAD Director General has been arrested for doing so is a matter of grave concern. WADA calls for his immediate and unconditional release from custody, as well as the dropping of any charges made against him pertaining to this.”
The whirlwind saga began at the Tunisian Masters Swimming Championships two weeks ago where, in compliance with a suspension from the World Anti-Doping Association, the Tunisian flag was covered by a red cloth.
See video of the covered flag here:
Tunisian president Kais Saied was offended by the gesture and dissolved the Tunisian Swimming Federation and ordered the detainment of the heads of the anti-doping organization and the swimming organization among nine people being prosecuted for the incident with charges like “attack on the flag of Tunisia,” “formation of an organized group to commit attacks and cause disorder,” and a “plot against the internal security” of Tunisia. The other seven were freed ahead of trial.
Saied came to the meet and had the Tunisian flag raised.
The WADA issue was resolved when a new law was passed to bring the country into compliance with WADA rules. The decision was back-dated to May 8.
Swimmers from 20 countries were present at the Masters event.
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This sounds like an April 1st bit… wild that it’s real
Yeah this story is actually unhinged to me. The director’s actions kept Tunisia from being kicked out of the Olympics. Imagine how the president would have reacted if the Tunisian flag was barred from the OLYMPIC GAMES rather than a *Masters swim meet*.
Makes me wonder what would have happened if they had just removed the flag rather than sort of sheepishly covering it. The covering brought more attention than the absence would have IMO, but maybe that’s not true through the local lens.
So all a country has to do to get off the non-compliance list is imprison the head of their NADO? 🙄
At the end of the article:
“The WADA issue was resolved when a new law was passed to bring the country into compliance with WADA rules. The decision was back-dated to May 8.”
Kind of buried the lede when it comes to the compliance aspect. However hard to argue that the dictator imprisoning people isn’t important.