Before the start of the Paris Olympics, the World Anti-Doping Agency imposes a severe penalty on Tunisia

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) confirmed Tunisia's non-compliance with the World Anti-Doping Code and announced the imposition of severe penalties on it.

The organization explained that Tunisia will not host regional, continental or world championships, and the Tunisian flag will not be allowed to be raised in the Olympic and Paralympic Games, until the country returns to the jurisdiction of the World Anti-Doping Agency.

Tunisian representatives will also not be eligible to serve on committees or boards of directors of the World Anti-Doping Agency.

The agency said in a statement issued yesterday, Tuesday, that the “final and immediate effect” non-compliance decision against Tunisia resulted from its “inability to fully implement the 2021 version of the World Anti-Doping Code within its legal system.”

Tunisia had a period of four months, starting from November 2023, to adopt “a certain number of amendments to legislative and regulatory texts” to comply with the Tunisian legal framework code.

“But as of early April, the issues of non-compliance have not yet been resolved,” the agency explained, and the Tunisian National Anti-Doping Organization (ANAD) has not disputed WADA’s allegations of non-compliance.

This punishment was imposed on Tunisia about two and a half months before the start of the Summer Olympics in Paris.

The Summer Olympics are scheduled to be held from July 26, 2024, and their competitions will continue until August 11.