Michael Johnson supports International Olympic Committee doping rules
Michael Johnson, who is a former Olympic gold medalist sprinter, recently gave a statement that expressed his views on doping and how to deal with the problem. According to Johnson, the rules set by the doping authorities all across the world should be in
line with that of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). This would provide difficulties for athletes who use doping as a tool to make their mark in sporting events. More specifically, the measure would ensure a tight channel that would prevent the doping
athletes from becoming a part of the Olympic Games.
Johnson expressed his views in the following manner at the press conference: "I think the IOC is going to have to go back and work with WADA to get that (eligibility) rule as part of the WADA code. Once that is in place I think everybody will be a lot happier.
"I think that their ruling makes sense. But I think that all of those people sitting on that board probably felt like they wish it were fair, because I think they all think as I do, that it is a good thing having an athlete who has been caught cheating miss
an Olympics. They probably felt like their hands are tied."
The issue has come to light after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) made a decision that overruled a previous decision taken by the IOC with regard to a banned athlete. The decision of the CAS has now made it possible for the banned athlete to be
a part of the London 2012 Olympics. This was done after an eligibility rule of the IOC was deemed to be invalid by the CAS.
The decision that was made in favour of the athlete who had been found guilty of doping has now provided other banned athletes with a window of opportunity to make their case in the CAS and become part of future sporting events as well as the Olympic Games.
The stance that the CAS maintains on the issue is that the ban of the IOC is not in sync with that of the World Anti-Doping Agency's (WADA) code.
Tags: