A report by the Sunday Times has revealed over 5,000 “abnormal” drug test results by athletes over a period of ten years.
The leaked International Association of Athletics (IAAF) documents give access to 12,359 blood test results, over 40% have been described as “highly suggestive of doping or at the very least abnormal“.
The report claims that top athletics champions, including Olypmic gold winners had ‘abnormal’ blood test results, but none of them had been stripped of their titles. At least 10 medals won at the London 2012 Olympics were won by those with suspect results. Furthermore, a third of winners at Olympic events World Championships between 2001 and 2012 had abnormal test results.
Among those with suspect test results is a “top UK athlete”. The details of the athlete have not yet been revealed, but it has been confirmed it is not Jessica Ennis-Hill or Mo Farah. A report today by Eurosport also claimed that Usain Bolt was cleared from allegation.
The comdemning data was investigated by scientists Robin Parisotto and Michael Ashended who claimed that 800 of the athletes’ results were “highly suggestive”. 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.”
Among other claims, it was alleged that some 80% of Russian medals received were won by those with suspicious results and that athletes were making increasing use of blood transfusions to replete red blood cell count
Essar Gabriel who works as IAAF’s general secretary told press today that the IAAF would “wait for the transcript of [the report] before commenting”.
Sir Craig Reedie, president of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has since commented on the allegations describing himself as “very disturbed by these new allegations… which will, once again, shake the foundation of clean athletes worldwide”.
The IAAF will be looking to distance themselves from the allegations, just weeks away from their World Championships in Beijing on the 19 August.
