THE Philippines stands the risk of being banned from competing under its own flag in the Paris Olympics and other events unless the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) complies with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Code.
The WADA gave the warning in a notification to the PSC dated January 23 declaring the country's non-compliance of the WADA Code. The letter also asked the government's sports agency to address outstanding non-conformities identified in the WADA Code Compliance Questionnaire.
WADA ultimatum has expired
The PSC was notified through the Philippine National Anti-Doping Agency (Phinado) in September 2023 to comply with the WADA Code but has barely responded. The WADA then gave the PSC four months to comply.
That deadline expired last Monday.
“Should the outstanding non-conformities not be solved by 22 January 2024, the Philippines Sports Commission would be automatically alleged as non-compliant by WADA’s Executive Committee,” said the notice signed by WADA Director General Olivier Niggli.
The WADA said the PSC has to comply with the code on developing and implementing effective, intelligent and proportionate Test Distribution Plan and include all Registered Testing Pool athletes from sports or disciplines, among others.
The WADA pinpointed the case of an athlete who yielded a positive anti-doping result in 2016 but was never notified by the PSC or its anti-doping arm.
PSC has until Feb. 13 to dispute WADA's allegation
The Montreal-based agency gave the PSC until February 13 to dispute “WADA’s allegation of non-compliance and/or the consequences of non-compliance and/or the reinstatement conditions proposed by WADA.”
“If the PSC does not dispute any of these elements in writing to WADA, within 21 days from the date of this Formal Notice, the allegation of non-compliance will be deemed admitted, the consequences of non-compliance and the reinstatement conditions proposed by WADA will be deemed accepted, and this Formal Notice will automatically become a final decision with immediate effect,” the notice said.
The WADA attached with its notification the consequences of non-compliance and reinstatement conditions by the PSC that includes a ban on the Philippine flag in all major international competitions and a ban on country from hosting regional, continental and world championships.
The consequences also include the Philippines losing its WADA privileges and funding and a ban of any Filipino to sit as member of the boards or committees or other bodies of any signatory, members or association of signatories of the world agency.
The PSC, WADA said, must satisfy the outstanding critical requirements and comply with all the consequences of non-compliance to be reinstated.
The Philippine Olympic Committee was furnished a copy of the WADA notification.
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