Brazil is set to be without its own World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) accredited anti-doping laboratory in time for next year's FIFA World Cup, it was revealed here today.
WADA revoked the accreditation of Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) doping control laboratory, also known as LADETEC, earlier this year and a new one in Rio de Janeiro is being set up, but unlikely in time for the World Cup in June and July.
It means that samples collected from players during the tournament will be flown back to Lausanne in Europe to be analysed, FIFA confirmed.
"Rio didn't measure up there," said Fahey, President of WADA, at the World Conference on Doping in Sport which opened here today.
"We will work with them through our science team to get that back [lab accreditation].
"I don't think that's going to happen in a hurry.
"Certainly not before the World Cup.
"Clearly that will involve another laboratory.
"There is a transportation challenge there but it's not an insurmountable challenge.
"You can move samples these days with aircraft and regular flights and I am sure that as the event organiser, FIFA will come to that conclusion.
"It is their responsibility."
The laboratory Brazil was planning to use was stripped of its accreditation in September by WADA, which cited "repeated failures" by the facility.
Fahey warned that despite time constraints, the new new $7 million (£4.5 million/€5 million) laboratory would not be fast-tracked because of the 2016 Rio Olympics and Paralympics and had to be fitted out and staffed properly before it could gain accreditation.
"We will do our best to ensure it happens as soon as is possible but without compromising the quality that is essential...for the work the laboratories must do," he said.
FIFA used the laboratory in Lausanne during the Confederations Cup earlier this year to analyse samples.
"As WADA confirmed that following due process the LADETEC laboratory would not be able to achieve re-accreditation in time for the World Cup, FIFA has no other option but to handle the analysis of samples abroad," the world governing body said following Fahey's comments.