The World Anti-Doping Agency's sanction on the UFRJ Rio de Janeiro Doping Control Laboratory relates specifically to conducting isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) testing on samples, the element of its operation which caused it to falsely report last year that Brazilian beach volleyball player Pedro Solberg (pictured) had tested positive for testosterone.

The International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) provisionally suspended Solberg after the initial finding of the Rio facility, which is Brazil's only WADA-accredited laboratory.

But the FIVB lifted the sanction against the 25-year-old from Rio just one month later when the Brazilian laboratory delayed analysing the B-sample.

FIVB's experts questioned the Brazilian paperwork when the B-test confirmed the presence of banned drugs and ordered retests from the leading WADA laboratory in Cologne in Germany, which showed that the sample was in fact clean with no traces of testosterone.

"In this important battle against doping, we cannot afford to be losing confidence in the analytical results of WADA-accredited laboratories," said FIVB President Jizhong Wei said in a statement.

"As much as we need to identify and sanction those who cheat, we must ensure that no athlete is faced with a false positive."


The suspension is effective as of January 18, 2012, and prohibits the UFRJ Rio de Janeiro Doping Control Laboratory from carrying out IRMS testing for up to six months.

The Rio Laboratory continues to be accredited to conduct all other anti-doping testing as required in the International Standard for Laboratories (ISL).

During the suspension period the Rio Laboratory will continue to receive samples, but in the event IRMS testing is required it must transfer the samples to another WADA-accredited laboratory with the required IRMS accreditation.

The UFRJ Rio de Janeiro Doping Control Laboratory may appeal WADA's decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport within 21 days of notice.

WADA is responsible for accrediting and re-accrediting anti-doping laboratories, thereby ensuring that they maintain the highest quality standards.

FIVB have asked WADA to investigate why the Cologne laboratory findings contradicted those of the laboratory in Rio to ensure that such an error does not occur again.

"We trust that WADA will carefully look into this regrettable incident and will succeed in further harmonising the analytical procedures used by the laboratories," said Roald Bahr, President of the FIVB Medical Commission.

WADA has a total of 36 accredited laboratories spread across the world, but three of the facilities have been sanctioned since June 2010.

The accredited laboratory in Ankara, Turkey, had its license revoked earlier this year after falsely accusing basketball player Diana Taurasi of doping with a stimulant, while WADA accredited laboratories in Malaysia and Tunisia were suspended for unspecified failings.

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