WADA suspends accreditation of Madrid lab

The World Anti-Doping Agency has again suspended the accreditation of the Madrid testing laboratory, saying Monday the move was a "direct result" of the March decision to declare Spain non-compliant with the world anti-doping code.

The decision takes effect immediately and bars the Laboratorio de Control de Dopaje in Madrid from carrying out any WADA-related anti-doping activities, including analyses of urine and blood samples, the anti-doping body said in a statement.

On March 19, WADA declared Spain non-compliant with agreed global anti-doping measures.

Although such a declaration can render a country's athletes ineligible for major events, WADA noted that the lack of a sitting government in the country had hindered efforts to resolve its issues.

Spain has been locked in political paralysis since December's elections, leaving a hung parliament divided among four main parties, none of them with enough seats to govern alone.

Therefore WADA said in March that it would negotiate agreements to allow Spanish athletes to compete at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics.

In addition, the laboratory in Barcelona has maintained its accreditation, WADA said.

The Madrid lab, which was suspended in December of 2012 for three months, has 21 days to appeal the current decision before the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Source: AFP