The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has published a report on Tuesday of the investigation that it has carried out on the accusations that indicated that the United Kingdom Anti-Doping Agency (UKAD) allowed samples from several runners to be analyzed in private and using a laboratory not accredited by WADA.
This investigation, known as ‘Operation Echo’ began in March 2021 and is based on the events of 2011, when British Cycling, the British Cycling Federation, collected samples from various professional cyclists in search of the substance nandrolone. The WADA indicates that these samples were taken by British Cycling instead of those in charge of performing the anti-doping controls and that they were analyzed in a laboratory not accredited by the WADA and without disclosing the results before the UKAD. However, in its report, the AMA states that a UKAD employee was aware of the matter, despite the fact that the British Agency assures that it has not received the results of those analyzes.
Gunter Younger, director of the WADA Intelligence and Investigation department, confirmed the irregularities that have been committed within British cycling. “Operation Echo confirms that there were potential irregularities in both British Cycling and UKAD. We have provided a copy of the report to the WADA Standards, Rules and Compliance Department for their consideration. We have also forwarded the report to the International Cycling Union and the UK Department of Culture, Media and Sport. This operation does not make corrective recommendations, as those involved in the 2011 events are no longer UKAD employees and the agency has already taken steps to prevent this from happening again. Notably, WADA received the full cooperation and transparency of British Cycling and UKAD throughout the investigation. “
