Page 18 - ARUBA TODAY

A18 SPORTS
Thursday 31 augusT 2017
Study says widespread doping ahead of 2011 worlds in Daegu

By JOHN LEICESTER They said those findings and other readings over
AP Sports Writer may still have underesti- time for tell-tale signs of
PARIS (AP) — A long-de- mated the extent of cheat- doping.
layed study funded by ing. “It’s a snapshot of the time,”
the World Anti-Doping “There are many reasons to Audran said of the study.
Agency says one third of suspect that we may have “In my opinion, it has dimin-
athletes may have know- undershot the true values,” ished a lot since then.”
ingly doped shortly before Harrison G. Pope Jr., one of Olivier de Hon, manager
they competed at the 2011 the authors, told The Asso- of scientific affairs at the
track world championships ciated Press in a telephone Netherlands Anti-Doping
— although few of them interview. Authority, also said he has
were caught at the time. Pope is a professor of psy- “good hopes” that dop-
The peer-reviewed study, chiatry at Harvard Medical ing is less widespread than
published in the journal School. in 2011. He said the study’s
Sports Medicine, estimat- Other experts who did not methodology was sound.
ed that doping was even take part in the study said “It is an estimate but it’s a
more widespread at the doping may now be less pretty good estimate —
Pan-Arab Games in 2011, In this Aug. 30 2011 file photo, Russia’s Tatyana Chernova, widespread than it was in within a 10 percent range
left, reacts as she goes to cross the finish line with Britain’s
with at least 45 percent Jessica Ennis in the Heptathlon 800m at the World Athletics 2011 — thanks to improved of what was likely the truth
of competitors thought Championships in Daegu, South Korea. detection methods and fol- at that time,” de Hon said.
to have doped in the 12 Associated Press lowing more recent doping “It’s a pity it took so long to
months before the regional you knowingly violated an- their response, the team of scandals involving Russian publish,” he added. “It was
multi-sports event. ti-doping regulations by us- nine researchers from Eu- athletes, in particular. really new when they con-
The researchers said a to- ing a prohibited substance rope and the United States Michel Audran, director of ducted it.”
tal of 2,168 athletes at the or method in the last 12 came up with estimates of France’s WADA-accred- The authors said the de-
two events participated in months?” doping prevalence among ited anti-doping labora- lay of nearly six years be-
anonymous questionnaires After discounting some an- athletes at the two events: tory, noted progress track tween collecting the raw
upon which the study was swers, from athletes who 30 to 31 percent at the has made against doping, data and publication this
based. responded so hastily that world championships in with more than 100 ath- week was due to negotia-
The volunteers were of- they may have misunder- Daegu, South Korea, and letes caught by a biologi- tions with track’s governing
fered the choice of reply- stood the survey instructions 45 to 49 percent at the cal passport program that body, and between WADA
ing to the question: “Have or not carefully considered Pan-Arab Games. tracks competitors’ blood and the governing body.q