WADA president John Fahey gives an address at a symposium in Lausanne, Switzerland.
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Fahey promises “most tested Games in Olympic history”
World Anti-Doping Agency president John Fahey issued a strong decree ahead of the 2012 Olympic Games, calling on athletes who are planning to cheat to stay home.
“I say this in the clearest way possible: if you are a doping athlete and you are planning to compete in London then you must withdraw from your Olympic team,” said Fahey in a press release.
Fahey said that there will be more testing performed by the International Olympic Committee and the local organisers than at any other Games, stating that the anti-doping program is geared up for up to 6,250 samples and that authorities have already been “sharing intelligence” to target athletes for testing who may fall under suspicion.
“These will be the most tested Games in Olympic history and doping athletes must know that they will be under the severe scrutiny of anti-doping officials from the moment they set foot in the Olympic Village,” added Mr. Fahey.
He added that UK Anti-Doping is testing athletes out of competition at their training camps, and has been compiling “much intelligence” with international authorities.
“There has been a coherent effort to make London 2012 as ‘clean’ as possible and doping athletes should know that their chances of avoiding detection are the smallest they have ever been.”
The strategy of using targeted testing on athletes has been used in recent years by cycling’s anti-doping authorities, generally relying on blood profiling to identify riders who may be doping for additional testing. Such strategies have led to doping suspension of riders such as Thomas Dekker and Emanuele Sella.
Fahey appealed to athletes to compete clean. “The world’s ant-doping community can only do so much. If every athlete decides not to dope then we will have a completely dope-free Games, that’s the simple reality.
“It is up to the athletes and I urge them to collectively take more responsibility for the sake of clean competition.”
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