WADA suspends credentials for a testing lab in Rio de Janeiro
By Reuters
Last Updated: 24/06/16 10:30pm
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has suspended credentials for a testing lab in Rio de Janeiro just over a month before the city hosts the Olympics.
The action has been taken due to non-conformity with international laboratory standards.
The laboratory at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro declined to comment immediately on the decision.
A WADA statement read: "The suspension, which took effect on 22 June 2016 when the Rio laboratory was notified, prohibits the laboratory from carrying out all anti-doping analyses on urine and blood samples.
"It may appeal the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport within 21 days of receipt of notice. In the meantime, WADA will work closely with the Rio laboratory to resolve the identified issue."
The Rio facility has been designed to carry out 5,500 tests during the Games, but samples will now have to be sent abroad, as they were during the World Cup in 2014.
At that time, FIFA chose to transport the samples to the WADA lab in Switzerland, an operation that cost a six-figure sum and caused some embarrassment to the Brazilian authorities.
