Fight Against Doping -- IAAF Championship Testing; Putin Wants Doping Program

IAAF to Conduct Extensive Testing for Worlds

The IAAF has launched what it has termed its most extensive testing program ever for its world track and field championships in Berlin in August.

The program has been started with out-of-competition testing on athletes who are likely to compete at the world championships, which will be held Aug. 15-23.

The federation said that it will also conduct more than 1,000 blood and urine doping tests during the event, an increase from the 700 controls performed at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. It will implement biological passports for blood and urine to check up on the individual profiles of competitors.

"We will have increased intelligent testing in the out-of-competition period leading up to the championships, better testing during the championships itself and will store samples after the event for future analysis," said IAAF President Lamine Diack in a statement.

Putin Calls for More Robust Russian Doping Regime

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin called for a strong Russian anti-doping program and harsher penalties for doping ahead of the 2014 Olympics in Sochi.

"Every provision should be made and a state [doping] control mechanism established, and we should act vigorously. If necessary, let's also discuss moves to toughen penalties," Putin was quoted as saying in Russian media.

"I request the Sports, Tourism and Youth Policy Ministry to involve the sporting public and continue a thorough analysis of the current situation and to draw practical conclusions," Putin said.

Putin made the comments Monday at a Sports Council Board meeting in Moscow discussing the 2014 Olympics.

"The issue of sports doping now ranks among the most important problems and its details are generally known," he said. "Russian sport had always developed in traditions of fair and honest competition. These traditions should be continued in the future, too."

Three Russian biathletes failed drug tests prior to the start of the Nordic skiing world championships in February and consequently sent home.

Spanish Federation Wants Operation Puerto Records

Spanish cycling federation (RFEC) officials want records and test results from the reopened Operation Puerto investigation, according to unnamed officials cited in the Spanish sports daily AS Tuesday.

The federation reportedly asked a Madrid court for blood test results and documentation, according to the Spanish daily.

The investigation began in May 2006 when Spanish police found more than 200 bags of blood, anabolic steroids, and blood transfusion devices after a search of clinics in Madrid and Zaragoza.

More than 50 cyclists were linked to the investigation.

According to the Spanish daily, the documents requested by the federation will reveal names connected to the doping ring.

The case stalled twice when authorities could not prosecute cyclists and team officials because of Spain’s former doping laws that did not make it illegal. Spain now has a new law that makes it illegal to dispense, facilitate or prescribe use of doping substances.

The Spanish daily reported that the federation is seeking to discipline people linked to the doping ring.

The federation would not comment on the report but may post an official statement on its Web site, according to Reuters.

No Spanish cyclists have been prosecuted in connection with the doping ring, but the Italian Olympic Committee has accused Alejandro Valverde of being linked to Operation Puerto.

...Briefs

...The IAAF has stripped American sprinter Jerome Young of gold medals won in the 400-meter dash at the world championships in Paris and the 4x400 relay at the world indoors in Birmingham, England in 2003. The federation made the move after receiving official notification from USA Track & Field of Young’s admission of doping from 1991-2003.

Written by Ed Hula III.