Raja Sapta Oktohari Reminds Anti-Doping Agencies To Obey WADA Rules

Chairman of the Indonesian Olympic Committee (KOI) Raja Sapta Oktohari. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - Chairman of the Indonesian Olympic Committee (KOI) Raja Sapta Oktohari warned IADO as the institution responsible for anti-doping to seriously comply with the rules of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).

The warning is not without reason. IADO, said Oktohari, was again threatened with sanctions after KOI received a copy letter from WADA stating that IADO had received a report on corrective actions because it had not implemented the rules in accordance with the 2021 WADA Code.

"Right now, the Red and White is in danger of not being able to fly again. If this problem cannot be resolved before June 23, Indonesia is threatened with sanctions and cannot fly the Red and White flag again," said Oktohari in a press release, quoted from Antara, Sunday, May 8.

"I, as Chairman of the KOI and former Chair of the WADA Sanctions Relief Task Force, strongly appeal to IADO to be able to communicate more intensively, both with the Ministry of Youth and Sports and others so that this critical situation can be resolved," he continued.

IADO, previously known as LADI, was sentenced to one year in prison by WADA in October 2021 for not complying with anti-doping tests.

However, IADO was finally officially free from sanctions in February after fulfilling the conditions requested by WADA.

Even though it has been released from sanctions, IADO is still in the stage of close monitoring by WADA to ensure that they are carrying out regulations that are in line with WADA.

"I hope that all parties can understand this critical situation. Don't let what the task force has done put us back in a difficult position and Indonesia gets sanctioned again," he said.

"WADA also plans to come to Indonesia. So I hope that this situation can be resolved so that we do not receive sanctions," he concluded.