The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) announced the suspension of Africa’s only accredited drug-testing laboratory on Monday due to multiple non-conformities with international standards.
The South African Doping Laboratory, located in Bloemfontein, South Africa, will be suspended for up to six months.
WADA said it imposed an analytical testing restriction on the lab in September 2023 due to the “Gas Chromatography / Combustion / Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry (GC/C/IRMS) analytical method.”
Then last month, WADA says it received a recommendation from the Laboratory Expert Advisory Group to suspend the lab, with non-conformities including technical documents along with the analytical testing restriction.
The lab has accepted the suspension, and it’s been approved by the Chair of the WADA Executive Committee, with it officially coming into effect on March 1.
The suspension “prohibits the Laboratory from carrying out any anti-doping activities, including analyses of urine and blood samples, with the exception of analysis related to the Athlete Biological Passport hematological module.”
The lab will need to address the non-conformities found, and if it does so and satisfies the Laboratory Expert Advisory Group, it can apply for reinstatement prior to the six-month period. However, if the issues are not addressed, WADA can extend the suspenion.
