Olympics: War on dope cheats ‘a success

PARIS - International Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge believes 2004 marked a breakthrough in the fight to rid sport of drug cheats, despite the doping scandals that blighted the Athens Olympics.

"It's a positive year, if I dare say, for the fight against doping," the ICC chief told French sports daily l'Equipe.

Rogge said the increasing influence of the World Anti-Doping Agency and the change of attitude by US anti-doping authorities had been the main improvements.

"This changing position has led to its first results," Rogge said.

"We also made major scientific breakthroughs. From the detection of [the blood-boosting drug] EPO to blood testing in Athens, we've made constant progress," he said.

The Athens Olympics, Rogge's first summer Games as IOC president, were rocked by a doping saga involving Greek sprinters Katerina Thanou and Costas Kenteris who have been charged over missed drugs tests on the eve of the Games. Both deny any wrongdoing.

Rogge has been an ardent critic of athletes who use drugs to enhance their performances.

He said he had been pleased in 1988 in Seoul when he was woken up and told about Canadian sprinter Ben Johnson's positive dope test.

"My first reaction was 'Great!' - to me it was a victory," he said.

"We are tracking down cheaters wherever they are, regardless of political implications that we should keep a blind eye on the host country.

"If they're suspects, we test them, they're positive, we ban them."

Rogge also said he welcomed the scandal surrounding the Balco laboratory in the US that has engulfed a number of leading athletes.

Regarding the eight-year suspension of sprinter Michelle Collins earlier this month, he said: "It's a strong signal which proves that the Americans are now doing what should be done."

Rogge added he regretted the technicality that allowed US cyclist Tyler Hamilton to keep his Olympic time-trial gold medal despite a positive test for a banned blood transfusion.

"Of course we had the Hamilton problem in Athens but it does not question the validity of the test.

"Nobody will regard Hamilton as the time trial Olympic champion in Athens," Rogge said.

Hamilton, who maintains his innocence, kept his medal after testers failed to preserve his B sample properly, thereby invalidating the initial positive test.

- REUTERS