SA doping laboratory confident of regaining WADA accreditation

The six-months suspension, which took effect on March 1, was announced by the World Anti-Doping Agency on Monday.

This after a suspension proposal by the WADA Lab Expert Advisory Group (WADA LabEAG) due to technical changes required by WADA, which the laboratory must have in place within the suspension period.

In September last year, some restrictions were imposed on the lab however, other anti-doping activities were allowed to continue.

The lab is Africa's only accredited drug-testing laboratory which is tasked with the analysis of athlete samples for the detection of prohibited substances in organised sport.  

“During this suspension period, the laboratory will continue its ISO17025-accredited analysis, but all samples received under the authority of WADA will be referred to another WADA-accredited laboratory. All processes are already in place to support the changes required by WADA," said UFS spokesperson Lacea Loader.

“The university management is confident that the laboratory will effectively address the corrective actions required by WADA within the suspension period, so that the laboratory can again be of service to the anti-doping stakeholders in Southern Africa once the laboratory’s accreditation is reinstated."

Loader said the suspension will not affect test results of South African and African athlete’s participating in the 2024 Olympics Games in Paris.

“The anti-doping program for South Africa is planned by SAIDS and will not be impacted as the laboratory is independent from SAIDS and analytical testing will now be conducted by another laboratory. Therefore, samples will be referred to another laboratory during SADoCoL’s suspension period." 

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