WADA chief praises Olympic anti-doping drive

Date: 21/09/2008 http://www.insidethegames.com/show-news.php?id=3651

SEPTEMBER 21 - WORLD ANTI-DOPING AGENCY (WADA) chairman John Fahey (pictured) has praised the pre-Olympic drug testing programmes that prevented a number of drug cheats from competing in Beijing.
The Australian, overseeing his first Olympics in his new role, said: "I think that in itself was very effective, and I do believe that the deterrent factor in the context of cheats wanting to take the risk was a very strong message that was out there.
"If you go back to those months leading up to the Games a number of nations had a very vigorous programme at home, and the USA was one, I know."
On the eve of Beijing, International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Jacques Rogge estimated that there would be 30 to 40 positive drug tests in Beijing .
As it turned out, there were only eight positive results during the Games.
Fahey pointed out that many drug cheats were exposed before they even left their own country.
He said: "I'm not sure if the numbers have been released on those few months but I can assure you that it was quite a large number.
"It was 11 in Russia , almost the entire Greek weightlifting team, and so on and so forth. "Those numbers were significant.
"I think that was a message that continued to resonate and I hope and believe that it served as a deterrent factor to those who believed that they could hop on the plane, get there and get away with it."
WADA's executive committee approved the list of prohibited substances and methods for 2009. The list will be published online by October1 and will go into effect January 1, 2009.
Fahey said: "The fight against doping is a 24-7-365 responsibility.
"I am pleased that despite significant progress in the fight against doping in the past few years and months, stakeholders recognise the need to take further measures to protect the health of athletes and the integrity of sport worldwide."
The executive committee also approved the accreditation of a new laboratory in New Delhi , India , making it the 34th WADA-accredited lab.
It will oversee anti-doping at the 2010 Commonwealth Games, which the city is staging.