In response to the Spanish government proposing the implementation of notably stricter anti-doping legislation, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has officially removed the Spanish National Anti-Doping Organization (NADO) from its global non-compliant list.
In March of 2016, Madrid’s anti-doping laboratory became the 5th lab to have its accreditation suspended in less than a year. The suspension was “a direct result of WADA Foundation Board’s 19 March decision to declare the Spanish Anti-Doping Agency (AEPSAD) non-compliant.” As such, the nation’s government is now offering up legislation to bring its existing, out-of-date anti-doping law from 2013 into compliance, adhering to the present day, stronger WADA standards.
- The length of suspension for doping will be doubled from 2 to 4 years
- Anyone complicit in the aiding of doping to an athlete would be deemed punishable; this would include, but not be limited to, doctors, team directors and sports clubs
- Statute of limitation for doping offenses would be raised from 8 to 10 years
The ‘decree law’ has yet to be formally ratified by the Spanish Parliament, however. If it is ultimately not ratified, Spanish NADO would automatically be placed back on the WADA non-compliant list. Additional NADOs still on that non-compliant list include Brazil and Russia.
You can read the official announcement from WADA’s website here.