• SLADA DG optimistic of reinstatement by Oct. 

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has put Sri Lanka on its non-compliance list, after the country’s national anti-doping body-SLADA, had failed to address issues in its legal system, it announced on its website. 

When contacted the Director General (DG) of the Sri Lanka Anti-Doping Agency (SLADA) Dr. Shiromi Pilapitiya said that all possible measures were being taken currently by the Ministry of Sports in conjunction with the AGs Department, to get the country reinstalled by the WADA.

She said currently the Ministry of Sports and the AGs Department were involved in ironing out any shortcomings of its legal framework.

She asserted that once it is resolved it would be submitted for Cabinet approval ahead of sending it across for ratification by the Executive Committee of WADA.

According to the SLADA DG, the process would take a few more weeks and expressed optimism that by October this year, Sri Lanka could be removed from the WADA non-compliant list.

The move makes Sri Lanka the fourth signatory to WADA’s code that is currently non-compliant, a list that includes Russia.

The Montreal-based WADA said it put Sri Lanka’s National Anti-Doping Organisation on a ‘watch list’ in March this year.

The organisation did not address or dispute WADA’s concerns and was therefore suspended “with immediate effect,” WADA said.

In addition to Moscow and Colombo, the other two signatories that remain non-compliant are the International Federation of Basque Pelota and the International Fitness and Bodybuilding Federation.

On 27 March, the World Anti-Doping Agency had issued an all-stakeholder communication confirming that the Executive Committee followed the recommendation of the Compliance Review Committee (CRC) to place the Sri Lanka Anti-Doping Agency on the ‘watch list’, giving an additional four months to correct the outstanding non-conformity. 

The WADA said the deadline of 27 July, 2025 lapsed without the non-conformity having been corrected to the satisfaction of the CRC. 

Consequently, a formal notice of non-compliance was issued to SLADA on 28 July, 2025, allowing 21 days starting from the formal notice until midnight on 18 August, 2025 to dispute the allegation of non-compliance, and/or the proposed consequences, and/or the proposed conditions of reinstatement.

WADA noted: “Since the SLADA did not file a dispute by the deadline, the allegation of noncompliance is now deemed admitted, the Signatory consequences and reinstatement conditions are now deemed accepted, and consequently the formal notice has automatically become a final decision enforceable with immediate effect in accordance with Code Article 24.1.9.”

WADA said due to Sri Lanka being in the non-compliance list, SLADA representatives are ineligible to hold any WADA office or any position as a member of any WADA board or committee, Sri Lanka will be ineligible to host any event hosted or organised or co-hosted or co-organised by WADA, while SLADA will also be ineligible to participate in any WADA Independent Observer Program, WADA Outreach Program or other WADA activities.

Sri Lanka will also not receive any WADA funding related to development activities, while the country will not be awarded the right to host regional, continental or world championships, as well as other events organised by major event organisations, until SLADA is reinstated, the statement issued by the World Anti-Doping Agency noted.

If Sri Lanka fails to meet the conditions of reinstatement within a one-year period, Sri Lanka’s flag will not be flown at regional, continental, or world championships, as well as other events organised by major event organisations, including the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games, the World Anti-Doping Agency further stated.