WADA suspends accreditation of Kazakhstan laboratory
Tuesday 28 June 2016 15:51, UK
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has suspended the accreditation of the anti-doping laboratory in Almaty, Kazakhstan, after it fell foul of quality assessment procedures.
The Almaty laboratory is the seventh to be sanctioned by WADA in recent months, following the Rio laboratory which was suspended last month for failing to comply with international standards set by the organisation.
Moscow's laboratory had its accreditation revoked in April while Madrid, Bloemfontein, Beijing and Lisbon have also been sanctioned.
WADA said the Almaty laboratory has been suspended for four months. It said in a statement: "The decision to suspend the laboratory is a direct result of the more stringent quality assessment procedures enacted by WADA to ensure laboratories maintain the highest standards."
The laboratory may appeal the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport within 21 days of receipt of notice.
WADA did not say how exactly the Almaty lab failed to pass such an assessment.
The lab in Moscow lost its accreditation altogether after accusations its former director helped to cover up doping by Russian athletes.
