IOC responds to drugs rumour

The IOC today responded to rumours that a high-profile competitor at the Athens Olympics has failed a drugs test.

Two more athletes were confirmed as having violated anti-doping regulations yesterday when it was announced that Hungarian discus winner Robert Fazekas had failed to provide a complete urine sample and Belorussian high jumper Aleksey Lesnichiy had tested positive for clenbuterol.

That brought the number of athletes who have fallen foul of the testers to 10 but there is speculation that a bigger name will also be disgraced.

However, International Olympic Committee media director Giselle Davies said: “There are rumours in the media and I think it’s time stop the rumours and deal with facts.

“The IOC has clear procedures with regards to anti-doping regulations and I think there needs to be a lot of care taken with rumours which are not based on facts.”

In the case of a failed – rather than refused – test, the results appear to take a few days from the day of competition to be released to the public.

The Russian shot-putter Irina Korzhanenko became the first Olympic champion to fail a drugs test – Fazekas was the second – when it was confirmed on Monday that traces of the steroid stanozolol had been found in a urine sample taken on the previous Wednesday.

Although the IOC insists that the more positive tests there are the cleaner the competition is, the Athens Olympics are in danger of producing more drugs disqualifications than any other.

With 10 athletes banned already, the 2004 Games are just one short of matching Sydney.

There was enormous controversy before the Games even started when Greek sprinters Kostas Kenteris and Katerina Thanou missed a drugs test and were involved in a motorcycle accident.

They later withdrew from the Games rather than face an IOC investigation.

Among the other matters which Davies could not comment on today was the report that the two athletes’ accreditation cards would be displayed at the Olympic museum in Lausanne.