Global anti-doping crackdown sees Madrid lab suspended

MADRID’S testing laboratory became the latest in a long series of institutes to be suspended by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), although the news will not impact Spanish athletes set to compete at this summer’s Rio Olympics.

WADA declared Spain, along with Mexico, to be non-compliant with its standards in March, but imposed the minimum sentence due to the mitigating factor of the country’s political deadlock. The suspension of Madrid’s lab became official on June 6 although Barcelona’s facilities remain officially accredited.

Madrid now follows in the footsteps of Lisbon, Beijing and Moscow, following a huge crackdown on doping practices amid the fallout from systematic abuse revealed in Russian sporting institutions.

Indeed there are now only 30 WADA accredited labs in the world as the stringent demands of enhanced regulations see countries struggling to comply.

The suspension means that the Madrid laboratory will not be able to conduct anti-doping tests related to WADA’s mandate. The errant institute was also suspended for three months in 2012 and has 21 days to launch an appeal against the latest decision.