WADA suspends doping-French laboratory

France's main anti-doping laboratory, already under a provisional ban, has been suspended from carrying out anti-doping activities for up to six months because of analytical issues, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) said on Friday.

The new suspension, which took effect on Oct 31, prohibits the Chatenay-Malabry laboratory from all analyses of urine and blood samples, WADA said in a statement.

During the suspension, samples that have not yet been analyzed by the Paris laboratory, samples currently undergoing a confirmation procedure and any samples for which an adverse analytical finding has been reported must be securely transported to another WADA-accredited laboratory.

The laboratory, where disgraced American cyclist Lance Armstrong's samples were tested, may appeal this decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) within 21 days of receipt of notice.

If the laboratory addresses all non-conformities identified by the Laboratory Expert Group or WADA, it may apply for reinstatement prior to the expiry of the six month suspension period.

UCJ, UNILORIN.