Peak Australian sporting bodies have expressed their alarm at new doping allegations that have rocked the world’s athletics community.
The concerning test results have been revealed by a German broadcaster and the UK’s Sunday’s Times after they were leaked by a whistleblower.
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The International Association of Athletics Federations is investigating how its data was “obtained without consent”.
The leaked information includes 12 thousand tests taken from more than 5 thousand athletes at major athletics events between 2001 and 2012.
Doping experts Robin Parisotto and Michael Ashenden reviewed the documents.
“So many athletes appear to have doped with impunity, and it is damning that the IAAF appears to have sat idly by and let this happen,” Parisotto said.
“Some results were simply grotesque in their extremity, they were quite easily the worst I have ever seen,” Ashenden added.
The documents reveal in the 2001-2012 period, 146 medals were won by endurance athletes with suspicious tests. Fifty of those medals were gold.
Russia accounted for by far the most abnormal results, with Kenyan distance runners also targeted for their high number of suspicious tests.
Both countries have dismissed the claims as a smear campaign.
The World Anti-Doping Agency President Craig Reedie said the allegations will “once again, shake the foundations of clean athletes worldwide.”
“These are wild allegations, wide allegations and we'll have to check them out and we'll have that done by the Commission as quickly as possible,” Reedie added.
In a statement Athletics Australia said the content of the articles is alarming.
“Athletics Australia is currently working to ascertain further information about the alleged leaked IAAF test reports that have been obtained to form the basis of the articles.
The accusations made must be properly investigated. We welcome the World Anti-Doping Authority’s decision to probe the allegations made,” Athletics Australia Chief Executive Officer Phil Jones said.
“We will continue to work tirelessly to ensure a clean level playing field for all athletes across the globe. We endorse and demand the highest possible level of testing protocols to ensure that all those who break the rules are caught and sanctioned,” Jones said.
The International Olympic Committee is still trying to verify if any tests were taken at an Olympic events.
“If there should be cases involving results at Olympic Games the IOC will act with zero tolerance,” the IOC President Thomas Bach said.
John Coates from the Australian Olympic Committee also expressed his concern.
“The latest allegations are disturbing and I welcome the announcement that they will form part of the current investigation being conducted into track and field,” Coates said.
The allegations are expected to cast a shadow over the World Athletics Championships being held in Beijing later this month.
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