Montreal (AFP)

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) responded point by point Friday to criticisms of a report by the United States government threatening to suspend funding to the agency for lack of sufficient reforms.

WADA President Witold Banka has forwarded the agency's detailed response to the head of the White House organ behind the threats, according to a press release.

He reaffirms the agency's "great disappointment" at what it considers to be factual errors in the report and a lack of consultation before it was written.

"In the days leading up to its publication, you informed us that the report was imminent and asked us to check three paragraphs," writes Mr. Banka. "We did it in good faith and yet you chose not to integrate our explanations."

"As the saying goes: why let the truth harm a good story?", Criticizes the president.

In a 19-page report, the ONDCP, the White House body responsible for drug control policy, makes a series of recommendations to the United States Congress based on numerous criticisms leveled against the AMA, notably on his management of the Russian doping scandal.

The report also questions the court's use of US taxpayers' money and threatens to suspend funding if far-reaching reforms are not immediately adopted. The United States is the largest contributor to WADA.

The President of WADA attached to his letter a version of the American report annotated in red to underline "misleading information and inaccuracies". He asked that his response be sent to Congress "without delay".

As it had done the day before, the agency based in Montreal underlines the efforts carried out for three years to reform its structure of government, criticized by the Anti-Doping Agency of the United States (Usada).

WADA recalled that the United States had more representatives on its committees and advisory bodies than any other country, and rejected any idea of ​​representation of countries proportional to their financial contribution.

"I remain convinced that the United States government has an important role to play in protecting clean sport," said Banka. "I sincerely hope that we can work in good collaboration rather than having WADA forced to defend itself against unfounded attacks by the intermediary media, which absolutely does not advance the world anti-doping program."

© 2020 AFP