IOC seeks clarification on Salazar ban
What you need to know:
- It said that the doping offences were carried out "in connection" with the Oregon Project, an elite running programme Salazar set up with Nike in 2001
- Bach said he would ask the World Anti Doping Agency (Wada) for more information about the Usada report on the investigation
- Bach also said that the IOC would like doping samples taken prior to the Olympic Games to be stored for 10 years as samples taken at the Games already are
LAUSANNE
The International Olympic Committee wants to know if the Games could have been "affected" by doping by banned US coach Alberto Salazar, IOC president President Thomas Bach said on Thursday.
The US Anti-Doping Agency (Usada) on Tuesday banned Salazar for four years. It said that the doping offences were carried out "in connection" with the Oregon Project, an elite running programme Salazar set up with Nike in 2001.
Bach said he would ask the World Anti Doping Agency (Wada) for more information about the Usada report on the investigation.
"We will ask Wada for clarification, first to find out how many athletes have been investigated," said Bach, after an IOC Executive Board meeting in Lausanne.
"Does the report address the whole period of the existence of this project or only part of it?" he asked. "Could any Olympic results directly or indirectly be affected?"
Salazar, the coach until 2017 of multiple Olympic champion Mo Farah, and of athletes competing at the World Championships in Doha, was banned for "organising and encouraging prohibited doping conduct," said Usada.
Bach also said that the IOC would like doping samples taken prior to the Olympic Games to be stored for 10 years as samples taken at the Games already are.
He said that the IOC planned "start discussions in the coming weeks with Wada and the international federations to see how this can be done."
Salazar, a former top marathon runner, has denied ever doping his athletes and vowed to appeal his ban.
