DENVER -- The U.S. Olympic Committee has assured IOC president Jacques Rogge that the United States will pay its dues to the World Anti-Doping Agency.

USOC president Bill Martin sent a letter to Rogge on Thursday saying the annual payment to WADA will likely be made in the next 60 to 90 days, following passage of a Treasury/Transportation bill currently making its way through Congress.

"The issue is not whether the U.S. Government will fulfill its obligations, but rather the timetable under which it is legally empowered to transfer the funds," Martin wrote.

WADA president Dick Pound criticized the United States and other countries Tuesday for failing to pay their annual dues to WADA, which is jointly funded by the Olympic sports movement and national governments. He also said the Bush administration was showing no interest in the fight against performance-enhancing drugs in sport.

Pound said failure to make the payment could lead to sanctions against the U.S. team at the 2004 Athens Games and threaten New York's bid for the 2012 games.

Rogge told the United States earlier Thursday to pay its dues or forget about bidding for the 2012 games.

The payment was due at the beginning of the year, but Martin told Rogge that WADA operates on a calendar year that does not coincide with the fiscal year of the U.S. government.

The United States annually provides $800,000 in direct funding to WADA through the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy.

"Please be assured this matter should in no way become a barrier to the NYC2012 Olympic bid effort," Martin said. "The USOC has been in close contact with the ONDCP and members of Congress regarding this matter, and our government fully understands the importance of supporting WADA, USADA and other entities involved in the fight against doping in sport."

WADA, which was created in 1999 to lead global drug-testing efforts, has collected about $13 million of its $20 million budget.

Pound said WADA will decide this week on sanctions against governments which haven't paid up, including stripping them of their seats on its board and executive committee. He mentioned Italy and Ukraine as other major countries that have yet to make their payment.

Pound also said the IOC could refuse accreditation to government officials for the Athens Olympics and prohibit use of the country's national flag at ceremonies during the games.