WADA update on the compliance of the Tunisian National Anti-Doping Organization

Further to the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA's) Executive Committee (ExCo) meeting of 16 November 2023, WADA wishes to provide an update regarding the ExCo’s decision to endorse the recommendation of WADA’s independent Compliance Review Committee (CRC) and allege the Tunisian National Anti-Doping Organization (ANAD) as non-compliant with immediate effect. The non-compliance was the result of its failure to fully implement the 2021 version of the Code within its legal system. 

In the days following the ExCo, ANAD provided a clear calendar for adoption of the amendments which are required to bring the Tunisian legal framework in line with the Code within four months. At the same time, critical corrective actions from an audit conducted in March 2023 were signed off. On this basis, the CRC updated its recommendation to the ExCo for inclusion on the ‘watchlist’ This was approved by the ExCo on 6 December 2023. 

By placing ANAD on the ‘watchlist’, as per Article 8.4.5 of the International Standard for Code Compliance by Signatories (ISCCS), if ANAD failed to correct its outstanding non-conformity by 6 April 2024, WADA would automatically send ANAD a formal notice alleging non-compliance with the Code and proposing consequences and reinstatement conditions.   

At the end of the watchlist period, the non-conformities were still not resolved. Therefore, as per Article 9.2.3 of the ISCCS, on 8 April 2024 WADA sent ANAD a formal notice of non-compliance. ANAD now has 21 days following the date of receipt of the formal notice to dispute WADA’s allegation of non-compliance and/or the consequences and/or the conditions of reinstatement proposed by the Agency or accept the allegation of non-compliance, in line with Article 9.3.1 of the ISCCS. The decision (including the consequences) will enter into force on 29 April 2024, unless the decision is challenged by the same date. 

Therefore, the purpose of this communication is to provide sufficient time for Signatories to prepare in case the consequences do come into effect on 29 April 2024. In the meantime, the consequences do not apply, and WADA will update Signatories on or around 29 April 2024.  

The proposed consequences and reinstatement conditions for ANAD can be found here.