THAI ATHLETES rejoiced at the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) removing the country from a list of countries not complying with its rules which had led to a ban on flying the Thai flag at international tournaments, TV Channel 7 said this evening (Feb. 3).
Sports Authority of Thailand Governor Kongsak Yodmanee said the one-year ban on raising and flying of Thai flag on the pole should athletes win at regional, continental or global tournaments had been imposed on October 7, 2021.
This led to a pennant of the Badminton Association of Thailand flying in lieu of the national flag after a couple of Thai athletes won mixed-double badminton final in Spain in December.
However WADA’s board of directors officially informed the Doping Control Agency of Thailand today that after it had taken all the steps to comply with its code, a circular voting on removing Thailand from this list kicked off on Jan. 11 with this ending yesterday Feb. 2 .
The result was that the majority had voted in favour of taking Thailand off the list.
This will allow Thai athletes competing in the Winter Olympics that start this week in Beijing to fly the national flag.
CAPTIONS:
Top: Dechapol Poorwaranukhro and Sapsiri Taeratanachai after winning the mixed-double badminton final in December. However the WADA ban meant the Thai flag was not flown on the pole. Photo: Thai Rath
Home Page: Sports Authority of Thailand Governor Kongsak Yodmanee.
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