The WADA revealed that the Turkish Doping Control Centre (TDCC), based at Hacettepe University in Ankara, has been stripped of its accreditation due to non-compliance with the International Standard for Laboratories (ISL) and the related Technical Documents.

The revocation will be effective as of July 27, 2011 and will mean that the laboratory – which is currently suspended - will no longer be authorised to carry out testing of doping control samples on behalf of WADA or any testing authority.

The decision was taken by WADA's Executive Committee following a thorough review of the status of the laboratory by WADA's Disciplinary Panel.

WADA suspended the Ankara laboratory's accreditation on May 24, 2011 before a further decision was taken by the Executive Committee to revoke it.

The laboratory had claimed last December that a urine sample provicded by Taurasi, a member of the United States teams that won Olympic gold medals in 2004 and 2008, showed traces of the banned substance modafinil.

The results led to Taurasi being sacked by her club Fenerbahçe.

The laboratory later admitted that they had made a mistake and Taurasi was exonerated, agreeing to return to Turkey to play for Fenerbahçe's biggest rivals, Galatasaray.

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

It may also choose to reapply for accreditation, but must begin the process again as a new laboratory as outlined in the ISL.

It is the second time the Ankara laboratory has fallen below the standards set by WADA.

It was also suspended for three months in March 2009, and was reinstated following a WADA site visit that ensured proper corrective actions had been implemented.

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