The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) expressed its “deep concern” on Monday after the announcement of the arrest in Tunisia of the head of the national anti-doping agency, calling for his “immediate and unconditional release”.
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According to a spokesperson for the Ben Arous prosecutor’s office, near Tunis, the president of the Tunisian Swimming Federation (FTN) and the head of the national anti-doping agency were placed in police custody on Saturday and a judicial investigation was opened after the hiding of the Tunisian flag during an international sporting event at the Radès Olympic swimming pool.
On this occasion, the national flag was hidden by a fabric in order to comply with sanctions taken at the end of April by WADA against Tunisia for non-compliance with the world anti-doping code. As a result, nine people are being prosecuted for “ attack on the flag of Tunisia “, ” formation of an (organized) gang to commit attacks and cause disorder ” also for ” conspiracy against internal security » of the State, according to the Ben Arous prosecutor’s office.
In a statement on Monday, WADA described the information as “ very worrying “. The Agency “ supports the efforts of Anad (the Tunisian anti-doping organization) and international federations to enforcer » the sanctions she took, she indicated. She calls for the “immediate and unconditional release” of the head of the Tunisian anti-doping agency and “ the dropping of all charges against him “.
On Saturday, Tunisian President Kaïs Saïed also ordered the dissolution of the FTN office and the dismissal of its president as well as other officials, after going to the Radès swimming pool the previous evening. There, he raised the country’s standard and sang the national anthem, according to a video released by his office.
In its press release, WADA considers these arrests all the more regrettable because “ excellent progress has been made “, according to her, with a view to bringing Tunisia into compliance with the world anti-doping code, suggesting a lifting of sanctions ” in the very near future “.
On May 3, the Tunisian Ministry of Youth and Sports announced the promulgation of a decree aimed at bringing the country into compliance with international anti-doping conventions.