Athletes’ samples to be re-tested for designer steroid

ATHLETICS’ world governing body is to re-test all urine samples submitted at this year’s World Championships.

The IAAF wants to check whether any athletes were using a previously undetectable designer steroid THG which is at the heart of a new US doping scandal.

The IAAF, which has around 400 samples in storage from the World Championships, said that anyone found to have tested positive for THG would face serious consequences.

That almost certainly means being stripped of medals and hit with bans.

IAAF president Lamine Diack said: "The emergence of this new steroid is a matter of great concern and we are taking all steps that we can to investigate how widespread its use has been.

"The IAAF is committed to the principle of re-testing all the Paris samples as part of this process.

"If athletes have deliberately set out to cheat the public at our World Championships, then they must be exposed and dealt with in the strongest possible way."

IAAF general secretary Istvan Gyulai added: "We are for transparency. We want a clean sport.

"We don't want to leave potential cheaters untouched."

The search has been prompted by an announcement by the US Anti-Doping Agency last Thursday that several athletes tested positive for a previously undetectable steroid tetrahydrogestrinone, or THG.

USADA chief executive officer Terry Madden called it a widespread conspiracy involving chemists, athletes and coaches.

International Olympic Committee vice-president Thomas Bach supported the move to recheck the samples.

The World Championships were held from 23 to 31 August and approximately 400 samples were taken.

The doping control laboratory at the University of California in Los Angeles developed a test for THG after an anonymous coach turned in a used syringe containing the substance.

USADA re-tested 350 samples from the US track and field championships at Stanford in June, and 100 samples from out-of-competition tests.

The athletes who tested positive for THG have not been identified pending analysis of their B samples. Some non-American athletes are also reportedly involved.