IOC accused of failing to investigate positive drugs tests

The International Olympic Committee stood accused on Monday of failing to investigate a wave of positive drugs tests – including by male Jamaican sprinters – during its reanalysis of samples from the 2008 Olympics.

German broadcaster ARD, which famously exposed the Russian doping scandal, claimed the IOC and the World Anti-Doping Agency had chosen to take no action over the presence of banned steroid clenbuterol in the urine of several unnamed athletes.

The network said the discovery occurred during last year’s retesting of samples from the Beijing Games but that the IOC and Wada did not pursue the matter after deeming the levels of clenbuterol low enough to have come from contaminated meat.

“Certainly, Jamaica is known to have a problem. And it’s known to have astonishing success. Particularly in athletics in short distances.
“So, therefore, if you’re doing your job properly you should track down everything you possibly can. And do not leave any stone unturned.”
Pound’s misgivings were echoed by the director of Germany’s Wada-accredited laboratory in Kreischa, Detlef Thieme, who added: “It’s hard to imagine that an internationally-prestigious association would still do such a thing today.
“Suspicious facts and circumstances always have to be confirmed.”