German TV channel and British daily claim leaked IAAF database of 12,000 blood tests from 5,000 competitors reveal 'extraordinary' levels of doping; WADA 'alarmed'
It's all hazy: Athletes compete in the men's 100m semi-final of the IAAF World Youth Championships in Cali, Colombia recently
Kuala Lumpur: The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) said yesterday it was "very alarmed" by accusations of mass doping that have plunged athletics into a deep crisis. WADA president Craig Reedie said the new claims would "shake the foundation" of athletes trying to stay clean.
It's all hazy: Athletes compete in the men's 100m semi-final of the IAAF World Youth Championships in Cali, Colombia recently. Pic/AFP
German TV channel ARD and Britain's Sunday Times newspaper said they had been leaked a database belonging to athletics governing body the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) with details of 12,000 blood tests from 5,000 competitors which revealed "extraordinary" levels of doping.
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"These are wild allegations, wide allegations," said Reedie at an International Olympic Committee (IOC) meeting. "WADA is very disturbed by these new allegations that have been raised by ARD," he added.
ARD and the Sunday Times said the data was leaked by a "whistleblower" and that they had asked Australian doping experts Michael Ashenden and Robin Parisotto to examine the results. The experts said that 800 athletes in disciplines from 800m to the marathon registered values suspicious or highly suspicious. Tests showed increased use of blood transfusions and hard to detect EPO micro-doses to boost red cell count and performances.
The report said at least a third of the medal-winners at world championships and Olympics between 2001 and 2012 gave suspicious tests. It claimed that over 80 percent of Russia's medals were won by athletes with suspicious tests, while Kenya had 18 medals won suspiciously. The report however said that "Britain's Mo Farah and Jamaica's Usain Bolt, who have been the subject of whispering campaigns, emerge clean with no abnormal results."
Russia, Kenya slam story
Russia's Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko called the new allegations "nonsense" that were part of a power struggle within the IAAF. Kenya's athletics federation also hit back, calling the claims "libellous." The IAAF said it was aware of media reports and stressed that the data was "obtained without consent."
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