US declines to pay dues to worldwide anti-doping organization
The US has delayed its $3.6 million contribution to WADA, insisting on “reforms” and greater transparency in the organization’s anti-doping evaluations. Read Full Article at RT.com
TroibNews 
Washington has withheld its 2024 dues to WADA, demanding “reforms.”
The United States has decided to withhold its annual contribution of $3.6 million to the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), as reported by various news agencies this week, citing the White House. According to these reports, Washington has criticized the global anti-doping body for its lack of transparency in handling doping cases and has called for reforms.
This decision arises from an ongoing dispute between the US and WADA concerning the ‘Chinese swimmers case.’ This incident involved 23 Chinese athletes who tested positive for the banned substance trimetazidine prior to the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. China attributed the failed tests to food contamination, an explanation that WADA accepted, allowing the athletes to compete. This decision received significant backlash from the US and its national anti-doping agency, USADA.
Rahul Gupta, Director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, stated that Washington has “not yet decided whether to pay dues to WADA,” which were due before December 31.
“ONDCP is evaluating all our options as we continue to push WADA to adopt commonsense reforms,” he added, with USADA expressing support by calling it “the only right choice.”
The conflict escalated further in August 2024, following a Reuters report claiming that USADA had identified several athletes who committed doping violations but chose to turn them into informants instead of punishing them.
WADA has not commented on the ONDCP statement. The agency previously indicated that if a country fails to pay its annual dues, its representatives become ineligible to participate in its decision-making bodies. Currently, Gupta is part of WADA’s 16-member Executive Committee, with his term set to expire in April 2026.
This situation could affect the US's standing in international sports governance as it prepares to host the World Cup in 2026 and the Olympics in 2028. Additionally, the US is one of WADA's biggest contributors, accounting for 6% of its annual budget, according to AP.
Lucas Dupont contributed to this report for TROIB News
The United States has decided to withhold its annual contribution of $3.6 million to the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), as reported by various news agencies this week, citing the White House. According to these reports, Washington has criticized the global anti-doping body for its lack of transparency in handling doping cases and has called for reforms.
This decision arises from an ongoing dispute between the US and WADA concerning the ‘Chinese swimmers case.’ This incident involved 23 Chinese athletes who tested positive for the banned substance trimetazidine prior to the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. China attributed the failed tests to food contamination, an explanation that WADA accepted, allowing the athletes to compete. This decision received significant backlash from the US and its national anti-doping agency, USADA.
Rahul Gupta, Director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, stated that Washington has “not yet decided whether to pay dues to WADA,” which were due before December 31.
“ONDCP is evaluating all our options as we continue to push WADA to adopt commonsense reforms,” he added, with USADA expressing support by calling it “the only right choice.”
The conflict escalated further in August 2024, following a Reuters report claiming that USADA had identified several athletes who committed doping violations but chose to turn them into informants instead of punishing them.
WADA has not commented on the ONDCP statement. The agency previously indicated that if a country fails to pay its annual dues, its representatives become ineligible to participate in its decision-making bodies. Currently, Gupta is part of WADA’s 16-member Executive Committee, with his term set to expire in April 2026.
This situation could affect the US's standing in international sports governance as it prepares to host the World Cup in 2026 and the Olympics in 2028. Additionally, the US is one of WADA's biggest contributors, accounting for 6% of its annual budget, according to AP.
Lucas Dupont contributed to this report for TROIB News
