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Lord Coe questioned on blood doping allegations

13 November 2015

Culture, Media and Sport Committee takes evidence from Lord Coe following the Committee's publication of a previously blocked study on blood doping.

Witness

Wednesday 2 December 2015, Grimond Room, Portcullis House

At 2.15pm

  • Lord Coe, President of the International Association of Athletics Federations

Background

In August this year the Sunday Times published a series of articles commenting on a leaked database of test results from athletes taken between 2001 and 2012, which its experts argued showed abnormal results for a number of endurance runners.

On September 4 the Committee announced an inquiry into allegations, strenuously rebutted by the International Association of Athletics Federations, that the IAAF failed to follow up test results from some prominent athletes that raised suspicions that blood doping had occurred.

On 8 September after taking evidence from Michael Ashenden, one of the experts who analysed the data leaked to the Sunday Times, the Committee published a previously "blocked" study commissioned in 2011 by the World Anti-Doping Agency which suggested that 29-45% of athletes under examination may have been blood doping.

Lord Coe was appointed Vice-Chairman of the IAAF in 2007 and was elected President of the Federation earlier this year.

Chair's comment

Chair of the Culture, Media and Sport Committee, Jesse Norman MP said:

"I am delighted that we have been able to arrange a date for Lord Coe to appear before the Committee.  Recent events have further underlined the seriousness of the issues raised by blood-doping in sports, and the depth of public concern about them."

Further information

Image: iStockphoto