The prospect of Bermuda's athletes participating in the opening ceremony of the Pan American Games without their flag has been removed.

The banning of the flying of the flag along with the right to host major international sporting events formed part of the punishment handed to Bermuda after the country was deemed noncompliant by the World Anti-Doping Agency last month.

But with the Pan Am Games now just a week away, Bermuda’s status has been upgraded, with the country now placed on a watchlist and given four months to update the Wada Code and enact the required legislation after draft documentation was submitted that detailing intended amendments.

Wada released a statement yesterday in which it outlined the steps taken by Bermuda to deal with its noncompliant status.

“As part of a circulatory vote that ended yesterday, the World Anti-Doping Agency’s executive committee approved a revised recommendation of the agency’s independent Compliance Review Committee to add the Bermuda national anti-doping organisation [Bermuda Sports Anti-Doping Authority] to Wada’s compliance watchlist,” the statement read.

“On September 22, 2023, the executive committee followed the Compliance Review Committee’s recommendation to allege the Bermuda NADO as noncompliant with the World Anti-Doping Code due to a failure to appropriately implement the code into their legislation.

In the days following the executive committee, BSADA provided draft amendments to the legislation that Wada confirmed were in line with the Wada Code, as well as a clear calendar for adoption of those amendments within four months.

On this basis, the Compliance Review Committee has updated its recommendation for inclusion on the watchlist. As per the International Standard for Code Compliance by Signatories, by adding BSADA to the watchlist, it has been given four months to execute its corrective action plans.

“If by February 12, 2024, the nonconformities have not been corrected to the satisfaction of the Compliance Review Committee, the Bermuda NADO will be alleged as noncompliant without the need for a further decision by the executive committee.”

The ruling will come as a relief to the Bermuda Olympic Association and the 11 athletes representing the country in Santiago, Chile, with the first events set to start on October 21.