WADA suspends China national anti-doping body

MONTREAL — The World Anti-Doping Agency has suspended China's National Anti-Doping Laboratory for a maximum period of four months for "non-conformities" with standards.

WADA said Thursday that the suspension takes effect immediately and "prohibits the laboratory from carrying out any WADA-related anti-doping activities including all analyses of urine and blood samples."

The agency said it requires the lab to take five remedial steps identified by WADA's disciplinary committee and to address "non-conformities identified in its External Quality Assessment Scheme (EQAS) program and any other non-conformities identified during WADA site visits."

If those steps are taken, the four-month suspension can be lifted early.

The Chinese lab also has 21 days to appeal the decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.