Doping samples taken at the Rio Olympics "will not be tested in the host city following an extraordinary suspension of the laboratory's accreditation," according to Samantha Lane of the SYDNEY MORNING HERALD. The facility that was set to be in overdrive through August -- analyzing samples from the biggest sporting show on Earth -- "will essentially be useless through the games in an embarrassment for organisers and major headache for anti-doping authorities." The World Anti-Doping Agency "has taken the significant step of suspending the accreditation of the Rio de Janeiro lab six weeks before the opening ceremony, prohibiting it from conducting any anti-doping analysis on urine and blood samples." The world's foremost anti-doping authority, which is handling "all manner of sports doping and integrity crises" in the countdown to the Rio Olympics, has described a "nonconformity" with int'l standards.
WADA "has not detailed the issues in the Rio testing facility beyond that, but WADA rules dictate that the laboratory will be suspended for a minimum of six months." It reportedly cost R$200M ($60M) "to bring the laboratory up to standard" (SMH, 6/25). The BBC reported Rio's is the sixth laboratory to be sanctioned by WADA "in recent months." The lab "may appeal against the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport within 21 days of receipt of notice." Incoming WADA Dir General Olivier Niggli said, "Athletes can have confidence that the suspension will only be lifted by WADA when the laboratory is operating optimally." The nearest alternative WADA-accredited facility to Rio "is 2,800 miles away in Bogota, Colombia" (BBC, 6/24).
READY TO RESIGN: SPUTNIK NEWS reported Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko said on Saturday that "he would resign if all the Russian national team was not allowed to take part in the 2016 Olympics." Mutko: "If all the Russian national team gets suspended, it would be a great failure for me. I am ready to take all the responsibility and resign" (SPUTNIK NEWS, 6/25). The AP reported Rio 2016 Communications Dir Mario Andrada said, "This is another severe blow. We might not resolve this lab situation before the Games. We might have to choose another lab outside Brazil to do the tests. But this will be under the instruction and guidance of WADA." However, officials at the Rio lab believe that "the conformity issue can still be solved in time." The laboratory said in a statement, "The lab expects its operations to return to normal in July after a visit from WADA's technical committee" (AP, 6/24).
