The figure is disclosed in WADA’s newly-published 2019 annual report.

This shows that the body managed a small surplus in the year before COVID-19 struck, with income of just over $38 million (£28.9 million/€31.5 million), excluding financial income, all but matched by $37.8 million (£28.7 million/€31.4 million) of operating expenses.

The case against the three-time Olympic swimming champion and Chinese sporting icon resulted in him being banned for eight years.

His lawyers have since filed two appeals with the Swiss Federal Tribunal.

The CAS proceedings came in a year in which, as well as its regular funding from the Sports Movement and Governments, WADA received $1.6 million (£1.2 million/€1.3 million) in additional contributions and grants.

Much the biggest of these - amounting to $993,000 (£755,000/€824,000) - came from the Government of China.

The Governments of Poland - home country of WADA President Witold Bańka - Japan and Australia also made additional contributions.

After a period in which income was largely static, the agency’s budget is currently growing at around eight per cent a year, and is planned to hit $46.6 million (£35.4 million/€38.7 million) in 2022.

Expenses are also rising, with salaries and other personnel costs up nearly 12 per cent from $14.1 million (£10.7 million/€11.7 million) to $15.7 million (£11.9 million/€13 million) in 2019.

The number of employees rose from 117 to 130 over the same period.

It will be interesting to see whether the increased sums flowing into WADA will permit more investment in scientific research aimed at enhancing the effectiveness of the fight against doping.

Expenditure on research grants was indeed up to $2.3 million (£1.75 million/€1.9 million) in 2019.

But this remains far below the $6.5 million (£4.9 million/€5.4 million) allocated a decade earlier in 2009 when total income stood at $27.5 million (£20.9 million/€22.8 million).