Irish & International Sports News, Fixtures & Results

TBILISI, GEORGIA - FEBRUARY 22: Detailed view of the match ball prior to the U20 international test match between Georgia and South Africa at Rustavi Rugby Stadium on February 22, 2026 in Rustavi, Georgia. (Photo by Levan Verdzeuli/Getty Images)

Georgian rugby rocked by major anti-doping scandal

Six Georgia rugby players and a team official have committed anti-doping rule violations, the World Anti-Doping Agency and World Rugby said on Friday after an investigation uncovered a scheme involving alleged sample substitution and advance warnings of drug tests.

Rugby • 13 Mar

Jannik Sinner won the Australian Open last month

Sinner accepts three-month ban in doping settlement

World number one Jannik Sinner has accepted an immediate three-month ban from tennis.

Tennis • 15 Feb 25

Tygart: 'USADA fully supports this decision by the White House'

US govt withholds funding from WADA over dispute

The United States Anti-Doping Agency has welcomed the decision of their country's government to withhold a payment of 3.6million US dollars (€3.49m) to the World Anti-Doping Agency.

Swimming • 08 Jan 25

WADA pushes back on USADA demands over pace of reforms

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has indicated its eagerness to work with the United States on governance reforms but pushed back on demands from the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) chief for faster change.

other sport • 21 May 21

John Treacy has been consistent in his views on Russian participation at Tokyo Games

Treacy: Russian case proves need for WADA independence

Sport Ireland CEO John Treacy has again aired his deep frustration that Russian athletes will be present at the Tokyo Games, arguing the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) need greater independence to impose stricter sanctions.

Athletics • 28 Apr 21

Danny Bridge tested positive for cocaine after playing for Oldham in their match against Whitehaven last February

Ireland rugby league player back after ban reduced

Ireland international Danny Bridge is free to resume his rugby league career after benefiting from rule changes introduced by the World Anti-Doping Agency relating to recreational drug use.

Rugby • 14 Jan 21

The US is the largest single contributor to WADA, paying over $2.7m to the 2020 budget of $37.4m

USA threatens to cut off funding to WADA

The USA is threatening to cut off funding to the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) unless it immediately enacts serious reforms, according to a report by the White House's Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP).

Athletics • 24 Jun 20

Coronavirus presents dope test hurdle for Tokyo Games

Restrictions imposed due to the coronavirus pandemic have reduced the number of doping tests to a minimum, creating another hurdle for the Tokyo Olympics to clear to go ahead on time.

Paris 2024 • 22 Mar 20

Mo Farah has won four Olympic gold medals

Mo Farah happy to have old samples tested by WADA

Mo Farah says he is happy for his old samples to be retested at any time.

Athletics • 21 Jan 20

Salzburg striker Erling Haaland could dump Liverpool out of the Champions League tonight

Recap: Your morning sports updates

Read back on all the sports news from this December Tuesday morning.

Other sport • 10 Dec 19

Euro 2020 will be held across 12 different cities in Europe

WADA: Ban for Russia would not affect Euros

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) said on Wednesday that a recommendation to bar Russia from hosting major sporting events will not affect the 2020 Euros or the 2021 Champions League final.

Soccer • 27 Nov 19

The committee recommended that Russia not be allowed to host or bid for any major sporting event and any events that have already been awarded should be moved to another country, unless it was legally or practically impossible to do so.

Russia's Euro 2020 hosting in danger after WADA report

Russia could be prevented from hosting games at Euro 2020 after a World Anti-Doping Agency committee report recommended a ban from hosting all sporting events - even those already awarded - for four years.

Athletics • 25 Nov 19

WADA recover doping data from Moscow laboratory

World Anti-Doping Agency [WADA] inspectors have recovered doping data from a discredited Moscow laboratory - a condition of its controversial decision in September to restore the accreditation of Russia's anti-doping agency [RUSADA].

Athletics • 17 Jan 19

WADA will return to Russia for testing data that could lead to big sanctions

WADA team to return to Moscow for testing data

World Anti-Doping Agency experts will return to the Moscow laboratory at the centre of the Russian doping scandal on Wednesday to extract testing data that could lead to the prosecution of hundreds of drugs cheats.

Athletics • 07 Jan 19

John Treacy believes WADA need to take 'strong action' against Russia

'Shift of the goalposts' - Treacy calls for WADA action

Sport Ireland is among 16 National Anti-Doping Organisations to have called on the World Anti-Doping Organisation to take a firm stance against Russia, following the passing of the deadline to provide critical doping data.

Other sport • 02 Jan 19

WADA President Craig Reedie and his organisation are under attack

Athletes accuse WADA of blocking 'reformist' candidate

Three leading Olympic and Paralympic athletes have accused the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) of trying to block the organisation's vice-president Linda Helleland from running as a candidate to replace Sir Craig Reedie as president next year.

Athletics • 05 Nov 18

'It is the athletes who are impacted by decisions taken by WADA and they should be central to all decisions made'

Sport Ireland among group calling for WADA reform

Sport Ireland has joined the leaders of 18 National Anti-Doping Organisations to express their support for athletes in their calls for World Anti-Doping Agency reforms.

Other sport • 29 Oct 18

Beckie Scott claims she was bullied and treated with disrespect

Sport Ireland back calls for probe into WADA bullying

WADA have been rocked by controversy since their decision to reinstate Russia's anti-doping body despite it not having met all of the criteria in its 'roadmap to compliance'.

Other sport • 22 Oct 18

RUSADA and its athletics federation were suspended in November 2015, when a WADA-sponsored investigation first uncovered the scale of Russia's doping.

WADA votes to reinstate Russia after three-year ban

The 'great majority' of the World Anti-Doping Agency's executive committee has voted in favour of the Russian anti-doping agency (RUSADA) being reinstated as compliant with the WADA code.

Other sport • 20 Sep 18

WADA committee recommend reinstatement of RUSADA

The World Anti-Doping Agency have said that its compliance review committee (CRC) had recommended the reinstatement of Russian anti-doping agency RUSADA, which has been suspended since 2015 over alleged state-backed doping.

Athletics • 14 Sep 18

Chris Froome is pursuing a fifth Tour de France title

UCI cleared Froome due to unseen WADA studies

The World Anti-Doping Agency used as yet unpublished studies before advising the UCI to close the anti-doping investigation into Chris Froome, cycling's world governing body has said.

Cycling • 06 Jul 18

Fears that drugs testing bottles can be tampered with

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has opened an investigation into a potential integrity issue with security bottles used in drug tests.

Other sport • 29 Jan 18

WADA finds fresh evidence of systemic Russian doping

Russia's chances of avoiding a total ban from the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang received a huge blow on Friday when the World Anti-Doping Agency revealed it has new evidence of its systemic cheating.

Athletics • 10 Nov 17

The 2014 Winter Olympics were held in Sochi

Ban Russia from Winter Olympics - anti-doping agencies

A representative group of national anti-doping associations have lashed the International Olympic Council for their perceived lenience on Russia and called for the country to be banned from February's winter games in South Korea.

Paris 2024 • 14 Sep 17

Vitaly Smirnov has denied WADA's accusations

Russia chief denies state-sponsored doping

Russia's new anti-doping chief Vitaly Smirnov told WADA today that the country had "never had a state-sponsored system of doping" as the date for the publication of a new special report into alleged Russian cheating was announced.

Athletics • 20 Nov 16