Montreal, June 13, 2024
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) joins other clean sport organizations around the world in calling for the immediate release of the former Director General of the National Anti-Doping Organization of Tunisia (ANAD) and the reinstatement of his role following his arrest last month for simply attempting to comply with the consequences of ANAD's failure to comply with the World Anti-Doping Code (Code).
Following his statement of 13 May 2024, WADA reiterates its support for former ANAD Director General, Mr. Mourad Hambli, and has received letters expressing concern from other anti-doping organizations, including the NADO Advisory Group of WADA, the Institute of National Anti-Doping Organization (iNADO), the Central European Anti-Doping Organization and the NADOs of France, Kenya and South Africa.
WADA met with the Tunisian government's Minister of Youth and Sports and wrote to him urging him to do whatever is necessary to secure Mr. Hambli's release. Furthermore, on May 28, 2024, WADA wrote to the Tunisian Embassy in Switzerland, the Permanent Mission of Tunisia to the United Nations Office in Geneva and the specialized institutions in Switzerland to arrange a meeting with the ambassador to discuss this urgent matter. To date, no response has been received.
“WADA and the broader anti-doping community are shocked and dismayed by this situation,” said WADA President Witold Bańka. Over the past few weeks, we have received several letters from other countries' national anti-doping organizations and other clean sport organizations, expressing their deep concern and supporting WADA as it works hard to find a solution to this situation. This injustice must not continue. WADA calls for the immediate and unconditional release of Mr. Hambli, as well as the dropping of all charges against him in this regard. Working with the community, we won’t stop until this is achieved. »
WADA supports the efforts of ANAD and the International Federations to uphold the decision of the WADA Executive Committee to cite non-compliance in this matter. Reports that the Director General of ANAD was arrested for this reason are very worrying.
Le 30th April, ANAD's non-compliance was confirmed due to its inability to fully implement the 2021 version of the Code into its legal system. Under the terms of non-compliance, as is always the case, a series of consequences and conditions for reinstatement were imposed, including that the nation's flag could not be raised at certain covered events while the ANAD remained non-compliant.
Since non-compliance in Tunisia was established, WADA has worked closely with the authorities to ensure that the issue of compliance can be addressed as quickly as possible. THE 15 May 2024, WADA announced that the non-compliance had been successfully addressed and that ANAD had been reinstated as Code compliant.
