Brazil gets anti-doping boost, Doha lab reinstated - WADA

The World Anti-Doping Agency has removed Brazil from its blacklist of non-compliant nations while ending its suspension of Doha's testing laboratory, the agency said Thursday.

A WADA statement said Brazil taken off the list of non-compliant nations after the South American country took steps to bring it into line with the global watchdog's anti-doping rules.

"The Brazilian authorities have successfully adopted procedural rules in line with the Code in order to regulate the activity of its newly established Disciplinary Tribunal," WADA said.

WADA said it continued to work with the last remaining non-compliant signatory -- the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA).

Separately, WADA said it had restored the accreditation of Doha's testing laboratory in Qatar.

The decision allows the Doha Laboratory to resume all of its anti-doping activities, including analyses of urine and blood samples, WADA said.

"WADA is pleased to confirm that the Doha Laboratory's accreditation has been reinstated approximately five months after the laboratory was suspended," said WADA Director General, Olivier Niggli.

"We would like to commend the Laboratory for the cooperation and hard work that led to this reinstatement. We are confident that the laboratory has corrected its deficiencies."

The lab had been suspended in November last year, just 15 months after it had been formally accredited by WADA.

source: AFP