Anti-doping agency to investigate reports

Anti-doping agency to investigate reports
Associated Press

London, October 20: The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) is ready to investigate reports that five Italian athletes who won gold medals at the Sydney Olympics registered high levels of human growth hormone in blood tests earlier this year.

Canadian officials have asked the agency to look into the allegations and determine whether the athletes committed doping violations and should be sanctioned.

Harri Syvasalmi, WADA's secretary general, said on Thursday that he expects the agency will ask Italian authorities for an explanation and offer to carry out an independent inquiry.

``It's only natural we should send a letter asking to be informed,'' he said in a telephone interview from Lausanne, Switzerland. ``We will be proposing that we would be able to be a part of the independent (investigation) of the situation.''

Syvasalmi noted that, earlier this year, WADA asked Australian authorities for a report following publication of a book by former discus thrower Werner Reiterer, who alleged that Sports officials condoned and covered up systematic doping among elite Australian athletes.

``In a way this Italian situation is similar to that,'' Syvasalmi said. ``We will ask a few questions of them. We want to clarify whether (the allegations) are true or not. These sort of allegations and perceptions should be answered.