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| Anti-doping Highlights IOC-Italian Tussle |
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| 2006-02-21 09:14:37 CRIENGLISH.com |
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Doping rather than sport took center stage over the past three days in Turin.  |
(By CRI Reporter Wei Xiangnan)
Doping rather than sport took center stage over the past three days in Turin after Italian police raided the houses of two Austrian biathletes late Saturday night. The IOC and Italian authorities remained at odds on the issue on Monday. CRI correspondent in Turin, Wei Xiangnan filed this report.
 Dozens of armed Italian police stormed three houses of the Austrian biathlon and cross-country skiing athletes in San Sicario and Pragelato late Saturday. While police searched the houses, IOC doping officials took 10 of the athletes to a nearby clinic for drug testing.
The raids and tests were conducted after the World Anti-Doping Agency reported the Austrian team might have been visited by coach Walter Mayer, who was banned from the Games until after 2010 for blood doping at the 2002 Salt Lake City Games.
The raids and tests again highlighted a tussle between the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and Italian authorities over who would control and rule on doping cases.
According to the deal struck by the IOC and the Italian authorities, the IOC and WADA will do the anti-doping tests and they will inform the Italians of the doping cases.
Giselle Davies, IOC Director of Communication said on Monday that Italian authorities acted alone after they had received a copy of the WADA report from the IOC, overruling the statement of Italian police that the anti-doping raids were conducted together with the IOC.
Davies said the only collaboration was in the form of giving the police the report and informing them of the time they would test the athletes. She added that the IOC is solely responsible for anti-doping tests.
In the latest development, Italian prosecutors said they found more than 100 syringes and 30 packs of drugs in the raid, including asthma drugs and antidepressants and they also seized devices for blood testing and blood transfusions.
Austria's state television ORF quoted Turin prosecutor Marcello Maddalena, as saying the raids were coordinated closely with the IOC and the WADA.
Doping is considered a criminal offence in Italy, which can be punished with a suspended prison sentence. But IOC insists it should be dealt with inside of the sport circle.
Wei Xiangnan, CRI news, Turin. |
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Producer: Lu Xiaohong 
