New appropriations legislation halts US dues payment to World Anti-Doping Agency
– The U.S. Congress passed an appropriations bill that President Donald Trump signed to avert a partial goverment shutdown, funding most federal agencies for fiscal 2026.
– A stipulation in the bill withholds the United States’ annual dues to the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) pending an independent audit.
– The audit must be conducted by external anti-doping experts and experienced independent auditors, and WADA must demonstrate that it is indeed operating in accordance with its duties.
– The United States currently pays about $3.6 million annually to WADA; tensions stem from a 2021 incident involving Chinese swimmers and claims that WADA did not publicly disclose or properly address the issue.
– WADA President Witold Banka rejected the audit demand, arguing existing auditing mechanisms are sufficient, while U.S. officials (including Sara Carter) say the audit is a required prerequisite for paying dues, with President Trump insisting on support for U.S. athletes and fair competition.
New appropriations legislation halts US dues payment to World Anti-Doping Agency
President Donald Trump signed an appropriations bill on Tuesday that prevented a partial government shutdown. After weeks of concern over the potential stoppage, the new legislation, signed by the president, funds over 90% of government agencies and departments for fiscal 2026, the Washington Examiner previously reported. Yet a little-known stipulation in the appropriations bill called for the U.S. to halt payment of its annual dues to the World Anti-Doping Agency due to suspected Chinese influence over the organization.
The legislation passed on Tuesday mandated that U.S. plans to pay WADA, the world’s preeminent anti-doping organization, were contingent upon the agreement of an audit of the agency “to be conducted by external anti-doping experts and experienced independent auditors,” according to ESPN. It also required WADA and its leadership to demonstrate that the agency is “operating consistent with their duties.”
The legislative stipulation comes after months of warnings that the U.S. would withhold its annual payment to WADA unless changes were made. The U.S. pays $3.6 million annually to WADA.
Tension between the U.S. and WADA stems from a 2021 incident involving Chinese swimmers who failed performance-enhancing drug tests but were never reprimanded or held accountable, ESPN reported. Chinese officials blamed the tainted test results on chemically altered food the athletes had consumed at the time. WADA allegedly never reported “the incident publicly or to its own executive board.”
WADA’s President, Witold Banka, rejected U.S. calls for an independent audit and investigation, claiming the agency has its own audit organizations and their work was sufficient.
“I don’t know any other international organization with such strong auditing mechanisms, so I think there are no obstacles for our friends from the U.S. to fulfill their duties and pay the contributions,” Banka said during a press conference at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics.
“I think it fulfills the expectations or the wishes from the U.S. side, and the most important thing, in principle, the contribution is not conditional,” he added. “That is the thing which is extremely important for us.”
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However, the U.S. insists on an audit. Sara Carter, U.S. Office of National Drug Control Policy director, said in a statement to the Associated Press that an audit would be required for the U.S. to submit its dues. She added that President Donald Trump was adamant about “supporting U.S. athletes and ensuring fair competition in sports.”
“The United States will not be bullied or manipulated into paying dues to WADA until such [an audit] is achieved,” Carter said.
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