WADA Considers Barring U.S. Officials from Events Over Unpaid Dues

The World Anti-Doping Agency is set to discuss a proposal at its executive committee meeting on Tuesday that could rewrite its rules to exclude President Donald Trump and other U.S. government officials from attending major international sporting events, including the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. The measure stems from the United States' ongoing refusal to pay its annual dues to the agency, a standoff that has persisted for years and could extend to this summer's World Cup hosted in the U.S.

The proposal outlines a three-tiered system of sanctions for governments that fail to pay dues by January 31 of the following year. The most severe penalty would bar representatives from participating in events such as World Championships and Olympic or Paralympic Games. For the U.S., this would encompass Trump, Vice President J.D. Vance, and members of Congress, who recently authorized hundreds of millions of dollars for security and logistics related to the World Cup and the LA Olympics. The U.S. owes approximately $3.7 million from last year and $3.6 million from 2024, with payments withheld since 2023.

U.S. officials have framed the nonpayment as a bipartisan push for greater...