WADA has added three NADOs to its compliance watchlist ©Getty Images

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has added three National Anti-Doping Organisations (NADOs) to the compliance watchlist following a vote from its Executive Committee.

Being put on the watchlist means they have four months to implement corrective measures agreed with WADA, or be declared non-compliant.

In April, WADA initiated a compliance procedure against the NADOs of the German Community of Belgium, Montenegro and Romania for failing to implement the 2021 version of the World Anti-Doping Code.

On September 14, WADA then deemed the NADOs non-compliant with the new Code as they had still not resolved their issues.

However, the trio have now provided revisions of their anti-doping rules that are in line with the Code as well as a calendar for the adoption of these rules.

As a result, the Compliance Review Committee (CRC) recommended their inclusion on the watchlist.

The NADO of Montenegro has been placed on the compliance watchlist along with the NADOs of Romania and the German Community of Belgium ©Getty Images
The NADO of Montenegro has been placed on the compliance watchlist along with the NADOs of Romania and the German Community of Belgium ©Getty Images

The CRC met from October 24 and 25 to discuss pertinent issues relating to WADA's compliance monitoring programme.

Chiefly a briefing on the Operation Hercules investigation concerning the Ukraine NADO.

WADA claims it has evidence that Ukraine's NADO had violated sample-collection rules by giving athletes advanced notice of what would have been unexpected, out-of-competition tests since 2012.

The report led to the resignations of director Ivan Kurlishchuk and his deputy, Yaroslav Kruchek.

The latest details on the sanctions imposed by WADA on the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) were also discussed.

Under the sanctions issued by WADA and diminished by CAS, Russia is not be able to host, or be granted the right to stage, any major events during its two-year period of non-compliance - ending in December 2022.

Russia's flag and anthem were banned from the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, with athletes competing as "neutrals" representing the Russian Olympic Committee, as they will do so again at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics.

There are currently five signatories listed non-compliant by WADA - the Deaf International Basketball Federation and the NADOs of North Korea, Indonesia, Russia and Thailand - and 12 on the watchlist.

The watchlist comprises the Flemish Community of Belgium, French Community of Belgium, Brussels Community of Belgium, Greece, The Netherlands, Iran, Portugal, Spain, Uzbekistan and the three new additions.