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31 Turkish athletes suspended for doping

The Turkish Athletics Federation says it has suspended 31 athletes for two years each for doping violations.

Thirty-one Turkish athletes have been suspended for two years each for doping violations.

It's the latest scandal to affect their track and field team during Istanbul's bid to host the 2020 Olympics.

The Turkish Athletics Federation announced the sanctions on Monday, including that of hammer thrower Esref Apak, the 2004 Olympic silver medallist. His case had been announced in June.

The bans come five days after the IAAF confirmed that nine Turkish athletes, including two teenagers, received two-year bans for using anabolic steroids.

Worse could follow for the sport in Turkey when TAF completes investigations into alleged doping by Asli Cakir Alptekin, the women's 1500-metre champion at the 2012 Olympics, and two other female team members in London last year.

"The files of Asli Cakir Alptekin, Nevin Yanit and Pinar Saka were not assessed because the process of investigation following their defence statements is continuing," the federation said in a statement published on its website.

Turkey's doping problems threaten to affect Istanbul's campaign against 2020 Olympic bid rivals Madrid and Tokyo. International Olympic Committee members will choose a winner on September 7.

Still, Turkey's most senior Olympic official said Monday's sanctions were "a clear signal" of how seriously it is responding.

"This work is part of a concerted, and much more aggressive, anti-doping policy in Turkey that has been in place for over six months," Turkish Olympic Committee president Ugur Erdener, an IOC member, said in a statement.

At least three of the 31 new suspensions, including Apak, were in Turkey's London Olympic team. Tugce Sahutoglu competed in women's hammer and Elif Yildirim was in the 4x400-meter relay squad.

The TAF listed all 31 athletes' names without specifying details of their doping violations or dates of their suspensions from competing.


2 min read

Published

Updated

Source: AAP


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