WADA Clears Beijing Anti-Doping Laboratory to Resume Testing

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) on Tuesday cleared Beijing anti-doping laboratory to resume testing athletes’ samples for illicit drug use, saying that the Chinese lab has met the international requirements.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The accreditation of the National Anti-Doping Laboratory was suspended in April 21 over the laboratory’s non-compliance with the International Standard for Laboratories (ISL), after a WADA probe was launched into doping allegations against Chinese swimmers.

"WADA is pleased to confirm that the Beijing Laboratory’s accreditation has been reinstated just ahead of the maximum four-month suspension that was issued in April. We are confident that the laboratory has corrected its deficiencies; and, will now be operating to the high standards required by WADA," WADA Director General Olivier Niggli was quoted as saying in a statement on the agency’s website.

Earlier in the day, the laboratory said it had received a notice from WADA confirming it had met the agency’s technical requirements.

WADA started a probe into China’s anti-doping agency following media reports alleging that it could be involved in covering up positive drugs tests among swimmers. The laboratory has denied the allegations saying that the false negative results occurred due to technical issues.