IOC chief backs plan for 4-year doping bans

[November 26, 2012]  AMSTERDAM (AP) -- IOC President Jacques Rogge says he supports proposals to double the length of doping bans to four years as a way of keeping drug cheats out of the Olympics.

The World Anti-Doping Agency is planning to raise the penalty from two to four years for serious drug violations in the next version of the global anti-doping code, which comes up for approval next year and goes into effect in 2015.

Speaking to reporters at a conference in Amsterdam, Rogge said Monday the proposal "is something that satisfies us in that it endorses increases sanctioning for what I would call heavy doping."

[Associated Press]

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