Responding To WADA's Warning About Not Complying With Anti-doping Test Rules, Menpora: Sample Submission Did Not Go According To Plan Due To COVID-19

Menpora Zainudin Amali. (Doc. Kemenpora)

JAKARTA - Minister of Youth and Sports Zainudin Amali confirmed that there was a warning letter from the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) to Indonesia which stated that Indonesia did not comply with the rules because it did not implement an effective testing program. He emphasized that the Ministry of Youth and Sports has moved quickly to collaborate with the Indonesian Anti-Doping Agency (LADI) to deal with this problem.

"This is more about sending samples. So it doesn't comply, it's because we sent samples," Zainudin said in a virtual media meeting, Friday.

According to Zainudin, WADA's letter was received in September and has 21 days to respond to this letter. The Minister of Youth and Sports claimed to have given a reply letter and is now waiting for WADA's response.

According to Zainudin, the delay in the response letter occurred because LADI was changing its management. However, the Minister of Youth and Sports emphasized that Indonesia is determined to comply with WADA regulations.

"The government has a commitment to comply with all the rules that have been agreed upon, but we also explain about the obstacles we face in our own country," said Zainudin.

Zainudin revealed that COVID-19 made the sample submission not go according to the Test Doping Plan (TDP) plan. The cessation of competitions and tournaments due to the pandemic caused the planned number of samples to not be fulfilled.

"We didn't think that in March we were exposed to COVID, even that it has been prolonged until now, so there are no sports activities that we can use as samples for anti-doping during the implementation of these activities," said Zainudin.

While there are no domestic competitions, the samples that were planned to be taken are currently undergoing competitions abroad, both Olympic qualifications and single events.

Then, entering 2021, Zainudin said there was no need to worry about meeting anti-doping samples because the National Sports Week (PON) was still ongoing.

"This means that from this PON we can get a lot of samples and what has been planned, God willing, will be fulfilled. So, 2020 and 2021 the samples are more yes and we hope it will be achieved," said Zainudin.

"If it's clear that 2021 can be filled with doping or anti-doping samples taken from the implementation of the National Sports Week, let alone a lot, lots of match numbers, lots of samples taken," he continued.

Not only Indonesia, WADA also rebuked North Korea and Thailand. WADA said North Korea's National Anti-Doping Agency (NADO) was not compliant because it did not implement an effective testing program.

Likewise, Thailand is considered to have completely failed to implement the 2021 Anti-Doping Code.