MONTREAL -- The governing bodies of triathlon, amateur boxing and chess were among the first to formally adopt a new global anti-doping code.

The World Anti-Doping Agency said it has received signed documents from the three federations confirming their adoption of the first global policy against banned drugs in sport.

The code was endorsed by sports organizations and national governments at a conference in Copenhagen, Denmark, last month. It sets out uniform anti-doping rules across all sports and countries, including two-year suspensions for serious violations.

WADA said the United States Anti-Doping Agency, the Canadian Center for Ethics in Sports and the Australian Olympic Committee have also formally adopted the code.

"These developments are very encouraging," WADA president Dick Pound said. "The speed with which these organizations have taken measures to adopt the code ... will encourage others to follow suit."

Sports organizations are required to enact the code before next year's Olympics in Athens, Greece. Governments have until the 2006 Winter Games in Turin, Italy.