WADA have suspended the Bucharest Laboratory for six months ©WADA

Bucharest Laboratory has been suspended by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) for six months over a number of "non-conformities" with the international standard.

The laboratory in the Romanian capital was provisionally suspended on November 29, with an Independent Disciplinary Committee then mandated to make a recommendation to the chair of WADA's Executive Committee after an investigation.

Under the terms of the suspension, the laboratory is prohibited from carrying out any anti-doping activities, including all analyses of urine and blood samples.

"During the period of suspension, samples that have not yet been analysed by the Bucharest Laboratory, samples currently undergoing a confirmation procedure and any samples for which a confirmation procedure (A and/or B) is required, must be securely transported to a WADA-accredited laboratory," WADA said.

"This is in order to ensure continued high-quality sample analysis, which also helps preserve athletes' confidence in this process and the wider anti-doping system."

WADA did not reveal exact details about why the facility's accreditation has been provisionally suspended other than it had failed to meet the international standard for laboratories.

The laboratory may appeal this decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport within 21 days.

The suspension is backdated from the point of the provisional suspension.

WADA stated that the laboratory must now address all non-conformities identified, as well as any additional issues raised during the period of suspension.

The laboratory will not be able to conduct sample analysis during the suspension ©Getty Images
The laboratory will not be able to conduct sample analysis during the suspension ©Getty Images

Should they satisfy the Disciplinary Committee in meeting these requirements, the laboratory could apply for reinstatement prior to the expiry of the six-month period.

It is possible the suspension could be extended for an additional six months, should issues not be addressed by the conclusion of the current sanction.

The laboratory in the Romanian capital was officially accredited by WADA in July 2009.

It became the 35th laboratory in the world to be accredited by the organisation.

The facility had completed the requirements outlined by WADA, a process which began in 2008.

Laboratories in Bogota and Lisbon are also currently suspended.

The facility in Moscow had its accreditation revoked following Russia's doping scandal.

Its accreditation was, however, partially reinstated in May last year to allow it to resume analysis of blood samples.