Rio Testing Lab Suspended by WADA

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil, August 9. IN what can only bring doubt into the minds of all involved in the Olympic movement with the 2016 Rio Olympics just three years out, the World Anti-Doping Agency has suspended the testing laboratory located in Rio de Janeiro for its second violation in 20 months.

“The suspension, which became effective as of Aug. 8, 2013, prohibits the (laboratory) from carrying out any WADA-related anti-doping activities,” the agency said in a statement.

This comes less than a year out from the country hosting the 2014 World Cup of Soccer, when the specific lab will be relied on to test samples from the players involved, and just three years out from hosting the biggest athletic event on the planet — The Olympics.

“WADA is responsible for accrediting and re-accrediting anti-doping laboratories, thereby ensuring that they maintain the highest quality standards. Whenever a laboratory does not meet … requirements, WADA may suspend the laboratory’s accreditation,” the agency said.

This isn’t the first issue for the Rio lab, which falsely accused a Brazilian beach volleyball player of doping in 2012. The lab began building a new building earlier this year, and has plans to finish by 2014 to prepare to deal with the volume of testing from the 2016 Olympics. However, this punishment can’t help anyone trusting the validity of results coming out of Rio.

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