Sebastian Coe has backed the International Association of Athletics Federations to issue a “robust and detailed response” to a Sunday Times report alleging widespread doping in the sport.
The newspaper, and German broadcaster ARD/WDR, obtained leaked data relating to 12,000 blood tests conducted on more than 5,000 athletes.
Experts enlisted by the Sunday Times claimed the data showed that more than a third of medals – including 55 golds – awarded at Olympic Games and World Championships between 2001 and 2012 were won by athletes with suspicious tests.
It was further alleged that none of those medals had been taken away by the authorities, and Coe, who is running as a presidential candidate for the IAAF this month, is confident the sport’s world governing body will address the report thoroughly.
“In response to today’s media reports, I know that the IAAF takes these allegations extremely seriously and it will issue a robust and detailed response to them and continue to work closely, as it has always done, with WADA,” the 2012 Olympic chief wrote on his Twitter account.
(1/2) In response to today's media reports, I know that the IAAF takes these allegations extremely seriously and it will issue...
— Seb Coe (@sebcoe) August 2, 2015
(2/2) a robust and detailed response to them and continue to work closely, as it has always done, with WADA.
— Seb Coe (@sebcoe) August 2, 2015