The World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) is currently facing a crisis after the US government did not make a $3.6m contribution to its annual budget by the 31 December 2024 deadline. As a result, Wada has announced that representatives from the US will no longer be able to sit on its foundation board or executive committee.

This funding issue stems from ongoing disputes between Wada and the US Anti-Doping Agency (Usada). The disagreements began when Wada cleared 23 Chinese swimmers to compete at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics despite testing positive for a banned substance. Usada CEO Travis Tygart supported the US government’s decision, citing a lack of transparency and accountability within Wada’s leadership.

Wada has refuted Tygart’s claims, calling them false and politically motivated. An independent report on the Chinese case criticized Wada’s handling but cleared them of bias. The current funding crisis is expected to worsen in 2025, as incoming US President Donald Trump is unlikely to reverse the decision made by the Biden administration.

This breakdown in funding underscores a significant divide between Wada and the US, the host of upcoming major global sporting events. Both organizations will need to work towards repairing their relationship, but without substantial reforms within Wada, it is unlikely that the US position will change. In response to these developments, the federal government has deployed customs officials and FBI agents to combat doping. However, Wada has raised concerns about the use of undercover agents to expose dopers. Usada believes that intelligence-driven enforcement is a more efficient approach compared to relying solely on sample testing.