South Africa has less than 10 days to comply with the World Anti-Doping Code or the Springboks and Proteas will find themselves unable to fly the country’s flag at their respective World Cups.
Next week’s Rugby World Cup 2023 quarterfinal might see the Springboks playing under a neutral flag and unable to sing the national anthem. Ditto the Proteas at the Cricket World Cup in India which starts on Thursday.
That’s because the South African government has not met a deadline to amend the outdated drug-free sport act to comply with the latest World Anti-Doping Code (Wada) that came into force in 2021.
The Code is a global policy that is agreed and adopted by both the sports movement and governments from around the world (public authorities).
Wada’s revised anti-doping code came into effect on 1 January 2021 and all member countries are expected to comply. To date, more than 700 sporting bodies and federations have accepted the new code.
On 23 September 2023, Wada issued a statement confirming that South Africa had not updated its anti-doping code and has fallen foul of Wada’s mandatory compliance requirements and now faces consequences.
If South Africa has not complied fully by 13 October, the first steps of the consequences of non-compliance will start. And one of those consequences is not being allowed to participate under a national flag.
“Wada wishes to update stakeholders regarding…