Lord Coe favours strict policies against doping athletes - Olympics
The chairman of the London 2012 Olympics, Lord Coe, recently announced that he favours strong laws against athletes who have been found doping.
"I am unreconstructed on this - I would have a life ban," said Coe.
This statement was given by the chairman after a Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) ruling was made against the International Olympics Committee (IOC) and in favour of the athlete LaShawn Merritt. The 25-year-old athlete was placed under a ban for a period
of 21 months in October of the year 2010. This was because he was found to have the anabolic steroid by the name of DHEA in his bloodstream. Three tests were conducted that took place from October of year 2009 and lasted till January 2010. The results of the
tests came positive, proving Merritt to be guilty of making use of the banned drug that is a male enhancement product.
Jeremy Hunt, the British Culture Secretary, also agrees with Coe in matters of strictness with the athletes who have been found to be doping.
"There should be no compromise when it comes to drugs in sport. We are working very very hard to make sure that next year is a clean Olympics. Drugs have been a curse in sport for far too long and we are moving in the right direction. There needs to be no
compromise and we need to send out a signal loud and clear that there is no compromise," said Hunt.
The decision made by the CAS in favour of Merritt has broad implications. It now opens doors for a total of 33 athletes that have been placed under a ban, to try and appeal their case in order to override the decision made by IOC. These athletes have been
spotted by the US anti-doping agency.
The top of the list are David Millar and Dwain Chambers. Millar is a cyclist while Chambers is a sprinter, both from England. After the Merritt ruling, both are weighing their chances to be a part of the Team GB in the London 2012 Olympic Games.
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