WADA Announces Rio Olympic Drug-Testing Laboratory Has Been Reinstated

The laboratory that will be responsible for drug testing the athletes at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro was reportedly reinstated on Wednesday, per Stephen Wade of the Associated Press. 

Wade noted the World Anti-Doping Agency released a statement that said the lab “has successfully complied with the ISL's requirements for reinstatement and no further suspension is required,” via Wade.

The same laboratory was previously “shuttered” because of “nonconformity with International Standard for Laboratories,” via Wade.

Had the lab remained closed, Wade reported the International Olympic Committee and local organizers would have needed to send samples abroad to be tested. Olivier Niggli, who is the director general of WADA, said the lab would perform “optimally” by the start of the Olympics, which eliminates the need to do that, via Wade.

The prior “shuttering” of the lab was part of a long list of issues that were overshadowing the 2016 Games. Wade listed the Zika epidemic, low ticket sales, crime in the area and water pollution as some of the problems in Rio de Janeiro.

The issue of performance-enhancing drugs in the Olympics has been in the headlines recently. Christine Brennan of USA Today reported on Wednesday that anti-doping officials of 14 different nations asked IOC President Thomas Bach to prevent Russian athletes from being in the Games because of performance-enhancing drug concerns.