IOC plans to get behind the scenes in doping

HAMBURG - The International Olympic Committee (IOC) aims for athletes to name their doctors and physio-therapists at the start of each season in a stronger crackdown against doping.

Experts are currently looking into the legal aspects of the plan which is not expected to become reality before the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.

The final saying is with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) on the issue in which sports officials aim to detect those behind the scenes in doping affairs.

Under the IOC plan the athletes are to name their doctors who are then required to countersign the relevant document.

“Doping has become so scientific that it is impossible for an athlete without an effective entourage,” IOC vice-president Thomas Bach told the German Press Agency DPA Monday.

“You get the impression at many hearings that most athletes are victims rather than culprits. Often only the athlete is sanctioned as the weakest link. This can not be tolerated.”

Bach said that the planned method was necessary as a latest deterrent against substance abuse. The IOC and WADA have raised the stakes over the past years with methods such as target testing or retesting of Olympic samples once new test methods are available.

Six athletes, including 1,500 gold medallist Rashid Ramzi of Bahrain, were caught doping at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing in retests of samples for CERA, the latest generation of the blood booster EPO.

“We are spreading the responsibility to the entourage of the athletes. We expect more pressure on the (athletes’) surrounding and a raised inhibition level,” said Bach.

“The names would be passed on to state authorities in the case of doping violations, which could lead to criminal law and professional consequences.”

The plan is to be be discussed in detail at next week’s IOC executive board meetings in Berlin. It is the latest step after the IOC decided in March to set up a watch list after each positive doping test in which the athlete’s doctor and manager are listed.