WADA taking hard look at Spain’s anti-doping organisation

WADA said that last year it took the unusual step of taking away three Athlete Biological Passport (ABP) cases from CELAD and handed them over to the relevant International Federations to deal with.

REPRESENTATIVE IMAGE: TUEs are given to athletes who require medication that contains banned substances for medical and health-related issues. | Photo Credit: GETTY IMAGES

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) hit back on Friday at reports it turned a blind eye to positive tests by Spanish athletes and said it was investigating the National Anti-Doping Organisation of Spain (CELAD).

A report by  eldiario.es said Spanish sprinter Patrick Chinedu Ike had produced a positive test in 2019 but CELAD did not open an investigation and that WADA took no action even though the result was on the athlete’s profile in the agency’s database system.

WADA, however, told  Reuters that Chinedu Ike’s case was still under investigation.

Spanish online news outlet  Relevo reported that CELAD had found positive results and waited for the maximum allowed time of one year between opening a case and informing the athlete in question while hiding others by retroactive approval of Therapeutic Use Exemptions (TUE).

TUEs are given to athletes who require medication that contains banned substances for medical and health-related issues.

CELAD did not respond to a Reuters request for comment.

“WADA strongly rejects the implication that it would ever turn a blind eye to any valid cases,” WADA said in a statement.

“WADA can confirm that for several months, as part of its compliance monitoring program, it has been aware of ongoing problems related to CELAD, including several issues to do with testing and results management.

“Related to that, WADA provided to CELAD a corrective action report that needed to be addressed as a matter of urgency, including with respect to a number of delayed cases.

“This matter is ongoing.”

WADA said that last year it took the unusual step of taking away three Athlete Biological Passport (ABP) cases from CELAD and handed them over to the relevant International Federations to deal with.

In another two such ABP cases, WADA imposed strict deadlines on CELAD for making a decision.

Of greater concern for WADA is Spain’s anti-doping legislation which it believes is not in accordance with the WADA Code in the way it is being interpreted and implemented.

“We are well aware of deep-seated issues within Spanish anti-doping,” said WADA President Witold Banka in a statement.

“I am disappointed with the level of cooperation we have received from CELAD as we seek to improve the system for Spanish athletes.

“The fact that there are positive cases that have not been handled in a timely fashion, despite regular follow-up by WADA, is unacceptable.”