adminLONDON. — The world of athletics was rocked yesterday by “wild” doping allegations involving hundreds of suspect blood samples, just as global sports leaders were meeting in Malaysia. International Olympic Committee members and sports federation chiefs woke to the news that IAAF test data had been leaked to news organisations and that it allegedly showed suspect samples from athletes, including Olympic and world championship medallists.
Britain’s Sunday Times newspaper and German broadcaster ARD/WDR say they were given access to the results of over 12 000 blood tests provided by more than 5 000 athletes over 11 years in a case that could plunge athletics into a new doping crisis.
The World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) says it is “very alarmed” after fresh allegations of suspected doping emerged in a leak of test data.
The Sunday Times and German broadcaster ARD/WRD have obtained access to the results of 12 000 blood tests from 5 000 athletes.
According to the newspaper, the evidence – which has been seen by the BBC – reveals the “extraordinary extent of cheating” by athletes at the world’s biggest events.
Wada’s independent commission will investigate the claims in the ARD/WRD documentary Doping – Top Secret: The Shadowy World of Athletics.
Wada president Sir Craig Reedie said his organisation was “very disturbed by these new allegations . . . which will, once again, shake the foundation of clean athletes worldwide”.
The files belong to world governing body the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), but have been leaked by a whistle-blower.
The Sunday Times and ARD/WRD used two of the world’s “foremost anti-doping experts”, scientists Robin Parisotto and Michael Ashenden, to review the data.
According to the experts, the database reveals:
A third of medals (146, including 55 golds) in endurance events at the Olympics and World Championships between 2001 and 2012 were won by athletes who have recorded suspicious tests. It is claimed none of these athletes have been stripped of their medals.
More than 800 athletes – one in seven of those named in the files – have recorded blood tests described by one of the experts as “highly suggestive of doping or at the very least abnormal”.
A top UK athlete is among seven Britons with suspicious blood scores. British athletes – including Olympic champion heptathlete Jessica Ennis-Hill – have lost out in major events to competitors who were under suspicion.
Ten medals at London 2012 were won by athletes who have dubious test results.
In some finals, every athlete in the three medal positions had recorded a suspicious blood test.
Russia emerges as “the blood testing epicentre of the world” with more than 80% of the country’s medals won by suspicious athletes, while Kenya had 18 medals won by suspicious athletes.
Stars such as Britain’s Mo Farah and Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt recorded no abnormal results.
Athletes are increasingly using blood transfusions and EPO micro-doses to boost the red cell count.
Parisotto said: “Never have I seen such an alarmingly abnormal set of blood values. So many athletes appear to have doped with impunity, and it is damning that the IAAF appears to have idly sat by and let this happen.”
According to Ashenden, the files show that athletics is now in the same “diabolical position” as cycling during the Lance Armstrong era. He said it was “a shameful betrayal of (the IAAF’s] primary duty to police their sport and to protect clean athletes”.
The evidence is not proof of doping – but the revelations will raise more serious questions over whether the sport is doing enough to combat cheating ahead of the World Athletics Championships in Beijing later this month. The IAAF is due to elect a new president in just over two weeks, with Britain’s Lord Coe the favourite to win the election against Sergey Bubka. Coe has made independent testing a key part of his manifesto. Former Olympic pole vault champion Bubka, now IAAF vice-president, told the BBC: “We will not stop the fight. We know that in the 21st century doping is the biggest danger and there will be zero tolerance. If we need to strengthen our rules and regulations we will do it.”
Athletics’ world governing body, which has not disputed the authenticity of the database, told the Sunday Times: “The IAAF has always been at the forefront in combating anti-doping, searching and implementing new analytical techniques and methodologies.”
The IAAF said that before the introduction in 2009 of the biological passport – which monitors longitudinal blood values – its testers had “systematically pursued” all results that were deemed “atypical” with immediate urine tests for EPO and then target-tested those athletes in and out of competition.
Since the introduction of the passport, the IAAF says it has “pursued more cases under the passport system than all other anti-doping organisations together”, and is spending $2million a year on combating cheating.
“As a percentage of overall annual budget this is the highest of any sport,” it added.
There can be various reasons for abnormal blood samples other than performance-enhancing drugs. Illness, altitude training and pregnancy can all influence values. — AFP.
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