The Higher Sports Council (CSD) presented on Tuesday, January 2, to the State Attorney General’s Office the result of an investigation carried out by the Commission for “alleged irregularities in the use of public funds and in the control and sanction of doping.” Spanish Agency for the Fight Against Doping in Sports (CELAD), along with reports on the practices of the organization’s director, José Luis Terreros, whom it has urged to resign.
The investigation presented by the CSD, developed within the Ministry of Education, Vocational Training and Sports, arose from a complaint of alleged irregularities by CELAD.
In a statement, the CSD points out that the decision “adopted with the utmost respect for the presumption of innocence”, has received “the approval of the Undersecretariat of the Ministry of Education, Vocational Training and Sports and the State Attorney’s Office” and ” responds to the commitment to provide the fight against doping with the highest standards of transparency, effectiveness, efficiency and safety.”
Along with the investigation, the Higher Sports Council has also transferred to the Prosecutor’s Office “the reports sent by the director of CELAD, José Luis Terreros, on its practices.”
It will be the Prosecutor’s Office that will determine if there are rational indications of the commission of a crime. The CSD assured that it cannot “condone the slightest suspicion or doubt in relation to the fight against doping and the system that must guarantee fair play, the integrity of competitions and preserve the health of athletes.”
Due to “the reputational damage to which Spanish sport is exposed”, the president of the CSD, José Manuel Rodríguez Uribes, has asked José Luis Terreros, director of CELAF, to resign. If it does not occur, he will propose, together with Minister Pilar Alegría, his dismissal.
Rodríguez Uribes reiterates “Spain’s commitment to ensuring that all athletes compete on equal terms and that the purity of sport prevails, which involves guaranteeing strict compliance with the World Code and anti-doping regulations, so that always “The strictest control measures are implemented and a sporting culture that values ??the ethics and integrity of all competitions is promoted.”
Also this Friday, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has sent a clear and harsh message to Spanish anti-doping. In a statement published this Friday, its president, Witold Ba?ka, expressed his concern about the problems of the Spanish system and assured that “the fact that there are positive cases that have not been treated in time, despite regular monitoring by part” of your body, “is unacceptable.
“We know very well the deeply rooted problems in Spanish anti-doping. I am disappointed with the level of cooperation we have received from CELAD as we seek to improve the system for Spanish athletes. “The fact that there are positive cases that have not been treated in time, despite regular monitoring by WADA, is unacceptable.”
In its letter, the international organization assures that it “takes note of the recent information that appeared in the media in relation to the accusations relating” to the Spanish Commission for the Fight against Doping in Sports (CELAD) for alleged irregularities and warns that the is following closely. “WADA will always ensure that CELAD – and all anti-doping organizations – meet the highest standards in accordance with the World Anti-Doping Code, including the prosecution of cases where appropriate. All of these matters are being thoroughly investigated by WADA. If they are not addressed quickly and effectively, it is clear that there will be important consequences for Spanish sport.”
Having “strongly rejected the suggestion that it would ever turn a blind eye to any valid cases,” WADA “confirms that all cases have been repeatedly followed up through the results management process and that some remain pending.”
“In fact, in addition to following CELAD on apparently delayed pending cases, WADA took the highly unusual step in 2023 of withdrawing three Biological Passport (ABP) cases from it and handing them over to the relevant international federations to deal with. In others two ABP cases, WADA imposed strict deadlines on CELAD to make a decision,” he points out.
It also confirms that for several months, “as part of its compliance monitoring program, it has been aware of ongoing issues related to CELAD, including several issues related to controls and results management. In relation to this, the “WADA provided CELAD with a report of corrective measures that needed to be addressed as a matter of urgency, including in respect of a number of delayed cases. This matter is ongoing.”
He assures that WADA still has more questions for CELAD and the Spanish anti-doping system, “particularly about the way in which the country’s Anti-Doping Law 2021 is being applied. Although WADA supported the approval of the legislation, it has since become shows that the way in which the law is being interpreted and applied in practice does not conform to the terms of the World Anti-Doping Code (Code).”
“WADA always reserves the right to request amendments to legislation when it is applied incorrectly or in a way that conflicts with the Code. In addition, apparent non-compliance has been identified in a royal decree that was published in October 2023 without “no prior consultation with WADA. This could trigger new compliance problems for CELAD in the coming weeks,” he says.
The leader of the international organization states that WADA “will ensure that CELAD – and all anti-doping organizations – adhere to the strictest standards in accordance with the World Anti-Doping Code, including the prosecution of cases where appropriate,” and that this matter “remains the subject of a thorough investigation.”
