The Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil are slated to begin in just six weeks. Unfortunately, there might not be an accredited drug testing lab in the city when the giant torch is lit for the Opening Ceremony.
On Friday, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) announced that the lab in Rio that was slated to handle all of the drug testing during the Games has been suspended due to “nonconformity” with international standards.
This particular lab was previously suspended by WADA in 2013, and was only reinstated last year. According to the New York Times, Rio spent $60 million to win back its certification, including “a substantial commitment of government money in the face of a pronounced recession.”
Less Than Six Months Out, The Rio Olympics Are A MessSports by CREDIT: Silvia Izquierdo, AP; Shuttershock; Dylan Petrohilos, Graphic It’s time to start the countdown – the…thinkprogress.orgWhile suspended, the lab cannot conduct any analysis of urine or blood samples. Officials are reportedly skeptical that this can be resolved in time for the Olympics, which means that samples conducted during the Games would have to be transported securely within a “demonstrable chain of custody” to another (accredited) WADA lab. This is also what had to happen back in 2014 when the lab was suspended during the World Cup in Brazil.
Anti-doping efforts in the Olympics have been under intense scrutiny ever since an explosive report by WADA exposed extensive doping in Russian athletics. The Russian track & field team has been suspended for the Rio Olympics, although the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) confirmed on Friday that individual athletes can still apply for permission to compete in the Games.
Additionally, an investigation by the Times revealed that at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia ran “one of the most elaborate — and successful — doping ploys in sports history” in the WADA-accredited lab in Sochi where all of the testing was done.
The Dirty Secret Behind Russia’s 2014 Olympic SuccessSports by CREDIT: AP/The Canadian Press, Jonathan Hayward Over two years ago at the Winter Olympic Games in Sochi…thinkprogress.orgThis is far from the first scandal to surface in the lead-up to the Olympics. Between the Zika outbreak that has health officials concerned about a “global catastrophe,” the prevalence of police brutality in Rio, the political upheaval in the country, and the dangerously contaminated waters where some athletes will be competing, there are plenty of reasons to be concerned about the safety of everyone involved in the Games.
However, WADA assured on Friday, that accredited drug testing lab or not, the show will go on.
“Athletes can have confidence that the suspension will only be lifted by WADA when the Laboratory is operating optimally; and that, the best solution will be put in place to ensure that sample analysis for the Rio Olympic and Paralympic Games is robust,” Olivier Niggli, Incoming Director General of WADA said.