WADA calls for 'root and branch reforms' of US anti-doping

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has voiced serious concerns regarding the protection of clean sport in the United States, calling for "root and branch reforms" in its anti-doping system.

In a letter to Tobie Smith, chair of the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) board of directors, WADA highlighted that 90 percent of American athletes compete outside the jurisdiction of the World Anti-Doping Code, specifically those in professional leagues and college sports.

"Of primary concern is the matter of college sports, which account for so many athletes who go on to compete at the very highest levels, including the Olympic Games," WADA stated. "75 percent of US athletes competing in Paris came through the collegiate system. That is three-quarters of American Olympians who were, at one time, part of an elite system that operates far below the globally recognized clean sport standard."