Montreal, April 8, 2024
Following the meeting of the Executive Committee of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) November 16, 2023, WADA wishes to provide an update on the decision of the Executive Committee to endorse the recommendation of the Independent Compliance Review Committee (CRC) of the Agency and to allege non-compliance with the Code with immediate effect from the Tunisian National Anti-Doping Organization (ANAD). ANAD's non-compliance is a result of its failure to fully implement the Code within its national legal framework.
In the days following the Executive Committee meeting, ANAD provided a clear timetable for the adoption, within four months, of a number of amendments to relevant legislative and regulatory texts to ensure compliance to the Tunisian Legal Framework Code. At the same time, so-called “critical” corrective measures from an audit carried out in March 2023 were implemented and closed. Therefore, the CRC updated its recommendation to the Executive Committee to add ANAD to the "watch list", which was approved by the latter on December 6, 2023.
In accordance with article 8.4.5 of International Standard for Code Compliance for Signatories (SICCS), by being placed on the "watch list", ANAD was required to correct the outstanding non-compliance by April 6, 2024, failing which WADA would automatically send ANAD a formal notification of non-compliance with the Code as well as the consequences and conditions of reinstatement proposed for this non-compliance.
When the four-month “watch list” period expired, the non-compliances remained unresolved. Therefore, in accordance with Article 9.2.3 of the SICCS, WADA sent a formal notification of non-compliance with the Code to ANAD on April 8, 2024. ANAD now has 21 days from the date of receipt of this formal notification either to contest WADA's allegation of non-compliance with the ANAD Code and/or the consequences and /or the conditions of reinstatement proposed by the Agency, or to accept the allegation of non-compliance, in accordance with article 9.3.1 of the SICCS. The decision (including its consequences) will come into force on April 29, 2024, unless challenged before that date.
The purpose of this communication is to provide sufficient time for Signatories to take necessary action in the event that the Consequences come into effect on April 29, 2024. In the meantime, the Consequences do not apply, and WADA will advise the signatories of the outcome of this matter on or about April 29, 2024.
The proposed consequences and reinstatement conditions for ANAD can be viewed here [in English].
