IAAF determined to introduce 4-year sanctions

[August 08, 2013]  MOSCOW (AP) -- The IAAF is determined to re-introduce four-year sanctions for serious drug violations and will be pushing the World Anti-Doping Agency to do the same to strengthen the deterrent against cheaters.

In a vote by acclamation at the IAAF congress Thursday, member federations backed the leaders in seeking tougher WADA sanctions. Some urged the IAAF to press ahead on its own if other sports refuse to upgrade the sanction from two years.

The congress said the new WADA code, which goes into effect in 2015, "will reflect our firm commitment to have tougher penalties and the IAAF will return to 4-year sanctions for serious doping offenses."

The new WADA code will be up for approval at the Nov. 12-15 World Conference on Doping in Sport in Johannesburg.

[Associated Press; By RAF CASERT]

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.