|
 IBU chief Anders Besseberg was speaking a day after his vice
president, James Carrabre, had said the IBU would start retesting
given recent information on systematic use of banned substances and
tampering of athletes' samples in Russia.
Since a World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) report late last year
detailing systematic and state-sponsored doping in Russia, the
Moscow lab has lost its certification while Russian track and field
athletes have been banned from competing.
Concerns about the Sochi 2014 Games testing laboratory have also
been raised, with WADA saying in its report that the lab had been
infiltrated by security services and imposed an atmosphere of
"intimidation.".
"He (Carrabre) said he would like to do this (retest samples from
Sochi) but you know that if it is about the Olympics we are not
responsible for it (retesting)," Besseberg told Reuters in a
telephone interview from Oslo.
"During the Olympics, testing is done under the supervision of the
WADA and the International Olympic Committee."
The IOC is in charge of testing a few weeks ahead of the Olympics
and until the end of the competitions.
International and national federations and anti-doping authorities
are responsible for testing outside Olympic periods.
Any retesting of samples of past Games is done by the IOC, which
freezes them for eight years and retests using new methods or looks
for substances that were not known at the time of the competition.
NOT DISCUSSED
"We can ask the IOC that they retest and we can ask WADA. But this
issue has not been discussed at the IBU," Besseberg said.
"(Carrabre) has not been in contact with me. If he wants to bring it
to the (IBU) Executive Board on March 7 and wants that we should ask
the IOC to retest, the EB will say ok, I am sure. Then we will make
an application to the IOC. I will, at least, support it."
[to top of second column] |
Doping is in the spotlight following the allegations concerning
Russia and the IAAF world athletics governing body.
This led to Russia's Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) being banned in
November and the Moscow testing lab losing its certification.
Biathlon, a grueling combination of long-distance skiing and rifle
shooting, has not been spared with several Russian athletes,
including former world champion Ekaterina Iourieva, banned for
doping in recent months.
Two more athletes have so far tested positive in competitions this
year, with Besseberg confident the IBU's system is successful at
rooting out cheats.
"We are testing day and night. It is no secret that the majority (of
biathletes caught doping) is from East European countries, not only
Russia," he said.
"We are on high alert. We are storing samples as well. I have full
confidence in our experts," Besseberg said. "They are really clever
people and I am very proud we have been able to capture so many
cheaters."
(Reporting by Karolos Grohmann; Editing by Ken Ferris)
[© 2016 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
Copyright 2016 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
 |
