WADA removes Angolan NOC from non-compliant list.

Following a vote by the Executive Committee (ExCo), the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has, with immediate effect, removed the National Olympic Committee (NOC) of Angola (acting as the National Anti-Doping Organisation, NADO) from the List of Signatories that do not comply with the World Anti-Doping Code. 

The National Olympic Committee (NOC) of Angola's non-compliance was the result of its failure to fully implement the 2021 version of the World Anti-Doping Code into the national legal system. On 23 January 2024, the World Anti-Doping Association (WADA) sent the NOC of Angola a formal notice of non-compliance. 

This non-compliance became effective on 14 February 2024 after the NOC of Angola chose not to contest the allegation as it could have done under Article 9.3.1 of the International Standard for Code Compliance by Signatories. Subsequently, WADA ruled that Angola could not use national symbols such as the anthem and flag due to delays in the approval of the country's anti-doping law. 

The sanction then included the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. The Angolan NOC was sanctioned for failing to meet deadlines to bring its sports legislation into line with the statutes of this international body. 

The document also stated that the country would lose the privileges guaranteed by the organisation until it was reinstated, as well as the impossibility of Angolan representatives being eligible for any position within WADA. It came five months before the start of the Paris Olympics. 

The WADA headquarters in Montreal, Canada. GETTY IMAGES
The WADA headquarters in Montreal, Canada. GETTY IMAGES

On 19 June 2024, WADA received confirmation that the necessary legislative changes had entered into force. Subsequently, on 21 June 2024, WADA's  Compliance Review Committee agreed with WADA management that the NOC of Angola had successfully met the requirements for reinstatement. 

Therefore, in accordance with Article 11.3.3 of the International Standard for Code Compliance by Signatories (ISCCS), the WADA's Compliance Review Committee recommended to the ExCo that the NOC of Angola be removed from the list of noncompliant Signatories. 

There are currently two non-compliant Signatories to the Code, namely the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) and the International Fitness and Bodybuilding Federation (IFBF).