US withholds Wada dues, calls for reforms to global doping watchdog
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World Anti-Doping Agency President Witold Banka speaking at the World Anti-Doping Agency Symposium in Lausanne, Switzerland.
PHOTO: REUTERS
NEW YORK – The fallout from the disclosure that the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) did not discipline a slew of Chinese swimmers who tested positive for a banned drug erupted on Jan 8, after the Joe Biden administration said it withheld major funding for the agency, with the latter removing the United States government’s representative from its board.
The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) said it had “not yet decided whether to pay dues to Wada”, which were due by Dec 31.
“ONDCP is evaluating all our options as we continue to push Wada to adopt common-sense reforms to restore trust in the world anti-doping system and provide athletes the full confidence they deserve,” director Rahul Gupta said in a statement.
“Wada must take concrete actions to restore trust in the world anti-doping system and provide athletes the full confidence they deserve.”
The US had held back its funding to the agency after losing faith in its ability to guard against the use of banned performance-enhancing drugs at events like the Olympics, the White House said.
The decision by the Biden administration was a significant blow to Wada, which has been under intense scrutiny for decisions not to punish or more aggressively investigate positive tests for banned substances by elite Chinese swimmers in recent years.
An investigator selected by the global anti-doping agency said in July that Wada did not mishandle the case involving the 23 Chinese swimmers and reiterated those findings in September.
On Jan 8, the anti-doping agency responded by removing the US, which had been the single largest country funder to the agency, from a position on its board.
Gupta began a term as a member of Wada’s 16-member executive committee as an Americas representative from a public authority in April 2023, and his term was not scheduled to expire until April 2026.
Wada said the unpaid dues totalled US$3.625 million (S$5 million). The American contribution is matched by the International Olympic Committee and would ultimately make up 14 per cent of the organisation’s estimated US$52 million budget for 2024.
The agency’s 2025 operating budget has been set at US$57.5 million, said its spokesperson.
The question of whether the US will provide funding for 2025 will fall to the second Trump administration, which took an adversarial approach to Wada during President Donald Trump’s first term.
The US Anti-Doping Agency (Usada) celebrated the ONDCP stance, calling the position “the only right choice”.
“The current Wada leaders left the US with no other option after failing to deliver on several very reasonable requests, such as an independent audit of Wada’s operations, to achieve the transparency and accountability needed to ensure Wada is fit for purpose to protect athletes,” Usada chief executive Travis Tygart said in a statement.
He added that the non-payment of dues will have no impact on US athletes or their right to compete in events worldwide.
“We need a strong and independent Wada and we will continue to work with all stakeholders in the US and internationally to ensure the global system delivers on the promise of clean sport to the world’s athletes.”
Tygart also noted major events coming to the US in the near future, including the 2026 World Cup and 2028 Los Angeles Summer Olympics.
“Now is the time to get Wada right to ensure these competitions on US soil are clean, safe and a pageantry of fair competition in which we can all have faith and confidence,” he added. AFP, REUTERS,
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