The World Anti-Doping Agency, WADA, announced on Wednesday that Tunisia’s national anti-doping organisation has been reinstated, following the lifting of sanctions imposed just two weeks earlier, which had caused significant disruption in the country.
WADA, based in Montreal, stated it had “received confirmation that a required governmental decree had entered into force” and that the Tunisian National Anti-Doping Organization (ANAD) had “successfully met its obligations to regain compliance” by aligning its national rules with the global anti-doping code.
As a result of a vote by WADA’s executive committee, ANAD was promptly removed from the agency’s non-compliance list.
Earlier in May, ANAD had been sanctioned for not fully implementing the latest version of the code, which was introduced in 2021, into its legal framework.
The sanctions had prevented Tunisia from hosting major sporting events and displaying its flag at sporting events, including the upcoming Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games in July and August.
Tunisia’s youth and sports ministry had committed to making swift corrective actions.
However, in the interim, the removal of the Tunisian flag during a swim meet in Tunis sparked outrage from President Kais Saied.
Following this incident, the heads of Tunisia’s swimming federation and ANAD were arrested on Saturday. An investigation led to seven additional officials being summoned to the Ben Arous court on Monday.
Charges against them include “attack on the flag of Tunisia,” “formation of an organized group to commit attacks and cause disorder,” and “plot against the internal security” of the state, according to spokesperson Mohamed Sadok Jouini.
Additionally, the board of the nation’s swimming federation was dissolved, and the chief of ANAD along with a sports official from Ben Arous near Tunis were dismissed from their positions.
