World Anti-Doping Agency suspends Madrid laboratory

The Madrid laboratory is the third European one to have received Wada sanctions in recent weeks

Madrid's Anti-Doping Laboratory has been suspended by the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) after failing to comply with international standards.

It is the fifth laboratory to be sanctioned recently after Bloemfontein joined Beijing and Lisbon in being suspended from Wada-related activities.

Moscow's laboratory had its accreditation revoked in April.

Wada said the decision was a result of finding the Spanish Anti-Doping Agency non-compliant.

The suspension, which takes effect immediately, prohibits the laboratory from carrying out any Wada-related anti-doping activities including all analyses of urine and blood samples.

However, Wada said Spain's other laboratory in Barcelona has maintained its accreditation.

The Madrid laboratory has 21 days to appeal against the decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

The decision leaves 30 Wada-accredited labs in the world, with none in Africa.