Coe: The system is working

Last Updated: July 15, 2013 9:23pm

Lord Coe: The war against doping must be won

Sebastian Coe says the series of positive doping tests which has engulfed athletics is proof that cheats will be caught.

The athletics world was left stunned on Sunday when it was revealed that Tyson Gay, the fastest man in the world this year, and five Jamaican athletes, including a former world record holder in Asafa Powell, had tested positive for banned substances.

But Lord Coe, a dual Olympic gold medallist who is now vice-president of the international athletics federation (IAAF) and chairman of the British Olympic Association, says the positives will deter potential drug cheats.

"The most important thing for me is that the testing system is working and, for the sake of clean athletes, it is very important we do not flinch in our efforts," he said on Monday.

"This is not a war we can afford to lose, and it is important for any athlete to know that, if they want to risk cheating, they are going to get caught.

"Of course we would rather not wake up to the headlines that we have done today but we have taken a tough stance on doping and will continue to do so.

"We would rather have the short-term embarrassment from the sorts of stories we have today rather than a decline in the sport to a position where no one has any trust in the athletes. That's what we are fighting for."

The B samples involved have yet to be tested and Coe pointed out that full judgement should be reserved until that had taken place.

"We are still waiting for the B samples and, as vice-president of the IAAF, it is very important we go through this process in a proper way to really understand what we are dealing with," he said.

"But the message is getting through and we are not taking our foot off the pedal."

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