While many of Bermuda's sporting bodies are still not compliant with the World Anti-Drug Agency's (WADA) new rules, the governing bodies of the Island's two national sports – Bermuda Football Association and Bermuda Cricket Board – are now fully compliant.

Last week The Royal Gazette reported that Bermuda's national sporting bodies had been given a stark warning by the Sports Ministry that they must be in line with the WADA regulations by January 1, 2010.

And if they were not they would suffer severe repercussions.

The Ministry earlier this month named numerous governing bodies that were not compliant but David Sabir, general secretary of Bermuda Football Association said yesterday that since that e-mail was sent out the BFA had met all requirements.

"The BFA are compliant – and we have been compliant immediately after the notification came out," said Sabir.

He said that the reason the BFA was put on the list was "primarily because of the late registration process in football. We had to compile the complete list of all the data of the players and that was submitted to the Bermuda Council for Drug Free Sports (BCDS). Once we had finished our registration process we were able to submit all the required information to the BCDS."

And Sabir said that it has been no secret that the BFA have "been champions through its actions with supporting anti-doping in sport in general because of the obvious benefit it has to individual lives".

He said: "FIFA is a signatory to the WADA code and as a result we have a duty to uphold these values that are contained in the disciplinary code. We take this very seriously and as a result we see it as a duty and a responsibility to see that we are compliant. The rules and regulations very clear."

The BFA general secretary added that it was easier for large organisations such as the BFA to go through all the administrative process of becoming compliant.

"It is perhaps a little easier for sports like football which have an administrative staff that can put some attention to this. I will say that it is by no means simple or something one can do in a passing moment – it is a very deliberate process (in becoming complaint). In Bermuda we have a lot of amateur sports but there is no distinction in the WADA code."

Bermuda Cricket Board also said yesterday they had met the BCDS requirements.

BCB director of youth development, Arnold Manders, said: "We are there. We are used to it (adhering to the WADA rules) although it may be new for many other sports. We have been in the (ICC) High Performance Programme for the past few years."

Manders said that over the years the BCB had sent out many teams who had all been tested.

"Right now we are just putting together a squad that will leave in March so that has not gone through yet. Once the executive finalises it, we will send the names in so they can be tested. But our (player) registration is done . For us it is really about finalising tours and teams. But everything else is done."

Manders said he attended a meeting for sporting bodies concerning WADA earlier this year and noticed that many "were oblivious about the rules and ignorant of them".

"I warned them that they had to become compliant otherwise their funding would stop," said Manders.

In the e-mail earlier this month to sporting bodies, the Sports Ministry said: "The Department of Youth, Sport and Recreation may be required to contact international governing bodies of your non compliant status, which may mean that your status as a national sport governing body may be in jeopardy."

The Ministry said there were four major mandatory items that the national sport governing bodies are required to adhere to:

¦ Constitution change to include WADA.

¦ Domestic membership lists.

¦ Domestic pre-event notification.

¦ The WADA programme regarding the whereabouts of athletes.