World Anti-Doping Agency Head: 'Substantial' Noncompliance Threatens Several Olympic Sports
The head of the World Anti-Doping Agency, Canadian Dick Pound, says that several international sports federations are in danger of being thrown out of the Olympics because of non-compliance.
Speaking in Guatemala City to the International Olympic Committee assembly, Pound said that both summer and winter sports are involved. He said there is "substantial" non-compliance by many international federations, but he refused to name specific ones.
The WADA president said the federations in question often do not have a competition testing program, no reliable results or management processes.
Pound said that WADA should have a preliminary report by September and a formal report by November of next year. He said if the sports are still not compliant by November 2008, his organization will recommend their removal from the Olympics.
The Canadian lawyer is to step down as head of the anti-doping body at the end of the year. He was making his last report to an IOC session before the end of his term.
Earlier Friday, the IOC adopted rules changes that will allow a sport to be dropped in short notice for "exceptional reasons," including refusal to comply with anti-doping rules.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.
