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WORLD ANTI-DOPING AGENCY chief Craig Reedie has said new accusations of mass doping in athletics would “shake the foundation” of clean sport.
He said an existing investigation into drug cheats in Russia would be extended.
WADA said in a statement it was “very alarmed” by the new accusations broadcast by German television channel ARD/WRD and reported by The Sunday Times.
Reedie told reporters at an International Olympic Committee meeting the numbers involved and the greater use of blood doping had shocked him.
Russian and Kenyan athletes featured strongly in the programme aired just three weeks before the start of the world championships in Beijing.
“WADA is very disturbed by these new allegations that have been raised by ARD which will, once again, shake the foundation of clean athletes worldwide,” Reedie said in the statement.
He told reporters he would pass the allegations to an independent commission looking into allegations aired by ARD in December of widespread doping in Russian athletics.
The new allegations said that leaked results from 12,000 blood tests on 5,000 competitors by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) showed the wide extent of cheating in the sport.
The results come from an IAAF database leaked to the two outlets.
A third of athletes
Australian doping experts Michael Ashenden and Robin Parisotto concluded from the results that 800 athletes in disciplines from 800m to the marathon registered values considered suspicious or highly suspicious.
They also said the analysis of the blood levels of the medal-winners at world championships and Olympics between 2001 and 2012 indicated that a third of athletics medals were won by competitors who had given suspicious tests.
“In one event the entire podium was comprised of athletes, who in my opinion had most probably doped at some point in their career,” Ashenden told the ARD programme.
Reedie said the allegations will immediately be handed over to WADA’s independent commission for further investigation.
“These allegations require swift and close scrutiny to determine whether there have in fact been breaches under the World Anti-Doping Code and, if so, what actions are required to be taken by WADA and/or other bodies.”
The independent commission is led by Richard Pound, an IOC member and the first president of WADA. Pound’s commission is looking into claims of doping by Russian athletes, encouraged by coaches and doctors, which were aired by ARD in December.
Reedie told reporters in Kuala Lumpur he had hoped to get Pound’s report as early as September but that would have to be put back because of the new accusations.
“It will take a little bit longer but I would rather they look into it and get the answers,” he said.
Reedie said he had been particularly concerned by “the spread of the allegations” and “the blood issues”.
The programme put the spotlight on Russian and Kenyan athletes alleged to have used banned techniques. British media said one top British athlete had also been found on the database with suspicious test results.
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Hope it’s nothing trivial
Reading all the wishes of ill-health of death by the bitter little people who read The Journal reminds me why I could never be a Leftist like them. Their hearts are dark with no room for charity or kindness.
@Brian Lenehan: you’re a tonic… Do you always come up with these one liner, ops two sentence, comical jestures so fast?
@Brian Lenehan: on a serious note, with all the ill health and pain he has forced on his own people and on the people of this earth, I think a twisted gut is the minimum this guy should be inflicted with. Let’s hope the cure is worse than the disease on this occasion. karma can be beautiful but can also have a weird sense of humour.
@Brian Lenehan: Those comments are humourous in intent. Considering his dangerous impact on the environment, ‘truth’, democracy, the rule of law and accountability, etc. it is difficult to empathise with him. You would have done better service to your argument if you hadn’t resorted to giving away your own agenda and limited perspective.
@David A. Murray: its about time the left started to express themselves directly in no uncertain terms just as the right do. this character shows f all respect for humanity. so, f all respect should be shown to him.
@Brian Lenehan: take up a new hobby this year- staying conversant with current affairs
@Brian Lenehan: this man has openly killed 1000s of people with his words and lack of action. He has openly threatened to imprison those he deems a threat to his rule. He’s a little strongman who rules with a fist. So anyone that disagrees with you is automatically a leftist? He has recently said those asking for his impeachment will be punished by his followers by executions. He has clamped down on the free press, freedom of speech, censorship, jailed those who disagree with him etc. And apparently he said something about a girl before he got elected saying that she was to ugly to get raped? He despises Democracy. he is a autocratic President playing the putin card. People like him don’t last long. So yeah I can understand peoples feelings.
@Brian Lenehan: you don’t have to be a specific side of the political spectrum to know that Bolsonaro and many others like him are devoid of any redeeming characteristics. People from the left and right used to think like this before the mid 2010′s when large swathes of each felt they had to blindly support the politicians they felt an affinity with as blindly as they would support their soccer team, regardless of their words, actions, or the consequences of both.
@Brian Lenehan: The absolute state of that comment
@alan scott: I am a fierce critic of Bolsonaro. He is a disgrace. But half of the things you mentioned are not true or complete exaggeration.
@CaicoNaFita: nothing about Bolsonaro is exaggerated.. He’s a scut and more.
@CaicoNaFita: il try and find the links and post them.
@Brian Lenehan: why are you guys always able to dish it out but not take it? Hahahaha
@Brian Lenehan:
Der Fürher loved dogs and was vegetarian. He was still however a b0//0x (1st Class with Oak Leaves). Whaddya gonna do…?
He’s been full of it and hot air for years…… I’m surprised its taken this long
@Aidan Leonard: its not so much hot air he is full of at the moment….
Fingers crossed.
A tool passing a stool
That will be the bile and hatred, i expect.
Wouldn’t be terrible if he caught covid whilst in hospital.
@Gerry Gleeson: if you are after a fresh bout of Covid, there is no better place to pick it up than a hospital
Classic case of head up ones own but..
Did somebody shove his policies up his hole?
I think his blocked.
@Ciarán O’Fearghail: Brain is blocked
@Ciarán O’Fearghail: you’re some rick with a large P.
He really is that full of absolute…..
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