MONTREAL: The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has issued a stern warning to the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) over the repeated display of the North Korean flag at the Asian Games, despite sanctions imposed on North Korea’s national anti-doping body. WADA declared North Korea’s anti-doping body “non-compliant” in 2021, leading to restrictions on displaying their flag at regional and continental sports events, excluding the Olympics and Paralympics.
Despite these sanctions, the North Korean flag was carried during the Asian Games’ opening ceremony and was hoisted in Hangzhou whenever their athletes won medals. OCA chief Raja Randhir Singh defended this decision, stating that they had communicated their position to WADA.
In response, WADA expressed disappointment over the OCA’s failure to comply with its obligations as a signatory to the anti-doping code. The agency emphasized that the matter was being taken “extremely seriously” and warned of potential consequences if the issue was ignored. WADA is considering a range of punishments for the OCA, including the withdrawal of International Olympic Committee funding, loss of status for OCA events as Olympic or Paralympic Games qualifiers, and the imposition of fines.
WADA Sanctions Against North Korea
North Korea faced WADA sanctions while its borders were closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, hindering international testing authorities from conducting tests within the country. Although North Korea has begun to reopen, challenges remain in terms of verification and quality control due to the country’s political status. Despite these challenges, WADA emphasized its commitment to strengthening the anti-doping system in North Korea to protect all athletes.
Despite its isolation from the global sporting arena, North Korea has achieved remarkable results since its return, particularly in weightlifting, where its athletes have broken six world records. However, North Korean weightlifters will not participate in the upcoming Paris Olympics due to their failure to attend mandatory qualifying events earlier this year.
The International Weightlifting Federation confirmed that all athletes at the Asian Games were tested, but two North Korean athletes were disqualified for failing to comply with anti-doping rules, specifically regarding athlete whereabouts submissions. These submissions require athletes to provide information at least three months before any competition, and failure to do so resulted in their exclusion from the Games.
