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    Rio lab for Olympic drug testing suspended

    Just six weeks before the Opening Ceremonies at the 2016 Olympics, the Rio de Janeiro laboratory responsible for processing all athletes' drug test samples has been suspended by the World Anti-Doping Agency.

    WADA issued a statement Friday saying the lab was shut down last week due to "non-conformity with the International Standard for Laboratories" and is prohibited from "carrying out all anti-doping analyses on urine and blood samples."

    Outgoing WADA director general David Howman said the suspension was due to technical errors, calling it "pretty disturbing," according to the New Zealand sports website stuff.co.nz.

    WADA's incoming director general was more upbeat.

    "WADA will work closely with the Rio Laboratory to resolve the identified issue," said Olivier Niggli. "The Agency will ensure that, for the time being, samples that would have been intended for the Laboratory, will be transported securely, promptly and with a demonstrable chain of custody to another WADA-accredited laboratory worldwide. This will ensure that there are no gaps in the anti-doping sample analysis procedures; and that, the integrity of the samples is fully maintained."

    "Athletes can have confidence that the suspension will only be lifted by WADA when the Laboratory is operating optimally; and that, the best solution will be put in place to ensure that sample analysis for the Rio Olympic and Paralympic Games is robust," incoming WADA director general Niggli added.

    The Rio Laboratory may appeal the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport within 21 days of receipt of notice.

    With the Opening Ceremonies taking place August 5, there is concern as to whether the drug-testing facility in Rio will be ready in time for the 2016 Olympics.

    Officials at the Rio lab believe the issues raised by WADA can still be resolved in time for the Summer Games, saying, "The lab expects its operations to return to normal in July after a visit from WADA's technical committee."

    If the Rio lab is not ready in time for the Olympics, WADA has a number of other accredited drug testing facilities in the Western Hemisphere, including UCLA in Los Angeles; Salt Lake City, Utah; Bogota, Colombia; Havana, Cuba; and Mexico City.

    Brazilian officials invested $60 million in a new facility and expanded the lab's staff from 20 to more than 100 after the previous test facility had been closed twice in four years by WADA, according to ESPN.com.

    News of WADA's suspension of the Rio drug testing lab comes on the heels of a steady stream of not-so-great news relating to the 2016 Summer Olympics, including concerns about the Zika virus, Brazil's economic and political crises (including the impeachment of Brazil's president Dilma Rousseff ), and crime and safety issues, such as Brazil's gun homicide rate 5.5 times higher than that of the U.S. In addition, there have been basic Olympic-related infrastructure concerns, including whether some sports venues -- as well as a major new transit line -- will be completed on time. (Work on the wrestling venue has been completed; the arena was inaugurated in mid-May.)

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