WADA Confirms Bucharest Laboratory Covered Up Positive Doping Samples - Reports

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - WADA has confirmed that positive doping samples were covered up by the Bucharest Laboratory and that former director Valentin Pop was involved in the affair as he was influenced by an "external party," media reported citing Gunter Younger, WADA's director of intelligence and investigations.

WADA's director of intelligence and investigations Gunter Younger told the news portal that they had proven the allegations made by a whistleblower and that the investigation would now focus on determining the "exact nature of the external entity."

According to a report prepared by Younger's team and leaked to Der Spiegel magazine, Valentin Pop had concealed at least two positive doping samples belonging to two unnamed Romanian athletes in 2016. The report noted that "Director Pop did not act alone," and a total of 11 suspects had already been questioned by the investigation team.

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The publication said that the suspension of the laboratory's accreditation may be extended after August.

In February, WADA suspended the accreditation of a lab in the Romanian capital of Bucharest for six months over "non-conformities." The facility was slapped with a provisional suspension on November 29, when it was found to be in violation of the International Standard for Laboratories.