Telegraph Sport exclusively revealed last month that the agency was reviewing the decision by Uefa’s control, ethics and disciplinary body to clear Sakho, with a view to lodging a possible appeal. On Tuesday night, it finally confirmed it had chosen not to do so, despite standing by its position that the 26-year-old had taken a banned substance.

The outcome of the Sakho case threatens to shatter confidence in Wada’s ability to lead the fight against drugs in sport, the credibility of its science department already in question over its handling of the Meldonium debacle.

A source close to the Sakho proceedings told Telegraph Sport last month: “The way in which Wada managed this case is unacceptable, absolutely unacceptable.”

Wada was said to have intervened in the case after the player tested positive for a substance called Higanamine following the second leg of Liverpool’s Europa League tie against Manchester United on March 17.