The Int'l Cricket Council's "failure to convince" the BCCI to allow drug testing of its cricketers by the Indian National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) prompted WADA to "set in motion the process to make the ICC non-compliant" with its revised "Code" for signatories, which came into effect in April this year, according to Sabi Hussain of the TIMES OF INDIA. WADA had set Oct. 4 as the deadline for the ICC to convince the BCCI to "make its cricketers available to the NADA for sample collection." Since the ICC failed to adhere to the cutoff date, WADA "decided to act." WADA said on Tuesday that the ICC's case will be referred to its independent "Compliance Review Committee," which is expected to meet in Lausanne, Switzerland, early next year. After the review of the matter by the CRC, the ICC's non-compliance case will be referred to WADA's exec committee, which can "recommend the disaffiliation of the ICC as its member nation" (TIMES OF INDIA, 10/17).
'LET THEM HAVE WEED': REUTERS' Steve Keating reported with Canada legalizing marijuana on Wednesday, WADA "should remove cannabis from its banned list of drugs," according to Canadian Ross Rebagliati, whose Olympic snowboard Gold Medal was taken away after he tested positive for the drug and "subsequently returned on a technicality." WADA is based in Montreal, where 12 marijuana shops were "due to open on Wednesday." WADA continues to ban the recreational drug while Canadians are "preparing to light up without fear of breaking the law." For athletes, the "dread of being busted for smoking a joint remains." Rebagliati: "I think it's time, it's overdue actually. If athletes are allowed to consume alcohol and tobacco, let them have weed. It is the only thing that is good for you of those three things" (REUTERS, 10/16).
RUSADA AUDIT: REUTERS' Gabrielle Tétrault-Farber reported WADA said on Tuesday that it will audit the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) in December to confirm it "remains compliant following its conditional reinstatement last month." WADA readmitted RUSADA last month, "angering sports bodies around the globe," but said that a "failure to allow access" to stored urine samples at the Moscow anti-doping laboratory by the year's end would "lead to a renewed ban." WADA said in a statement that it will "conduct a follow-up compliance audit" of RUSADA from Dec. 11-12 (REUTERS, 10/16).
