Dick Pound said the agency had received less than two-thirds of the funding expected from countries for 2003. Late payers included the United States, Ukraine and Italy, he added in a conference call before a WADA meeting on Thursday and Friday.

At its meeting in Montreal the board will vote on sanctions against countries failing to pay or adopt the anti-doping code. Measures contemplated include denying accreditation for government officials and banning their national anthems at the Games.

International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Jacques Rogge has supported even tougher sanctions, Pound said.

"Over and above that, the IOC president has indicated that at the next session he is considering amending the Olympic charter to say that countries that have not paid their contributions to WADA and have not adopted the code will not be eligible to be candidate cities to host the Games," he said.

Not only is funding inadequate to meet WADA's $20 million annual budget for 2003, but the December 31 deadline is looming for 2004 contributions.

Pound acknowledged that if the U.S. fails to make its 2004 contribution by an extended June 30 deadline, New York could have to withdraw from the race to host the 2012 Olympics.

"It would affect any country that has not paid, and there may well be a number of them by the time we get to Athens, even if we change our payment deadline to June 30," Pound said.

"It certainly would include Brazil, for example, which has never paid anything towards WADA."

FUNDING CRITICAL

To date, 87 countries and dozens of sports agencies and federations have adopted the World Anti-Doping Code, aimed at harmonising rules against the illicit use of performance enhancing drugs.

Funding from countries for WADA, which was established in 1999 through an initiative of the IOC to foster a doping-free culture in sport, is critical because the IOC matches those contributions, Pound said.

Pound said he learned from a White House official on Tuesday that the U.S. is prepared to contribute $800,000 to WADA's 2003 budget, not the $1 million promised earlier.

Pound said President George Bush's Administration does not seem to support the anti-doping crusade being led by WADA and other agencies.

"We're very disappointed in, simply, the lack of interest on the part of the White House in this very serious problem," Pound said.

He pointed to growing evidence of doping in professional sports such as Major League Baseball and the National Football League.

Amateur athletes face strict and often career-ending sanctions when they are caught using performance-enhancing drugs, whereas professionals face more lenient treatment.

"In the professional leagues to date ... it almost looks as if every effort is being made to get cheaters back in play as soon as possible," he said.