The Prospectator: Six Track and Field Athletes Busted For Doping

TALLAHASSEE, FL - Six track and field athletes who participated in Helsinki’s 2005 World Championship are accused of doping after banned substances were found in their samples following a reexamination, the International Association Of Athletics Federation said March 8.

The accused athletes – who compete for Russia and Belarus – include two silver medalists and three gold medalists. Among them is shot-putter Nadzeya Ostapchuk, who placed first at the World Championship. Her name was linked to performance-enhancing drugs once before. Authorities stripped the gold medal she won at the London Olympics because she tested positive for anabolic steroids.

Andrei Mikhnevich, nytimes.com

According to the IAAF, hammer throw champions Ivan Tsikhan of Belarus and Olga Kuzenkova of Russia, tested positive for banned substances as well.

Belarusian Shot-putter Andrei Mikhnevich, Belarusian hammer-thrower Vadim Devyatovskiy, and Russian long-jumper Tatyana Kotova also tested positive.

“The I.A.A.F.’s message to cheaters is increasingly clear that, with constant advancements being made in doping detection, there is no place to hide,” IAAF president Lamine Diack said in a statement.

“This retesting is just the latest example of the IAAF's firm resolve to expose cheating in our sport,” Diack continued. “The IAAF will continue to do everything in its power to ensure the credibility of competition and, where the rules have been broken, will systematically uncover the cheats."

IAAF officials say disciplinary actions against the athletes have started. Because of anti-doping rules, possible punishment includes stripping of medals and lengthy suspensions from all track and field competitions.

Nadzeya Ostapchuk, nytimes.com

The news has surfaced during a turbulent period for Russian athletics, as the World Anti-Doping Agency has already suspended 33 other athletes after testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs. Peter Eriksson, head coach of United Kingdom Athletics, said the issue casts a shadow over this year’s World Championship, which will be held in Moscow starting Aug. 10.

"That's a bad number. They need to do work within the Russian system to find out what's going on," Eriksson told BBC Radio 5 Live before the European Indoor Championships. "You can only push WADA and all of the agencies who are dealing with doping to do more."

The IAAF didn’t say which substances were detected after the six athletes’ samples were retested. Governing bodies in sports keep samples for at least eight years because the World Anti-Doping Code says urine and blood samples can be sanctioned up to eight years after they were provided. Authorities often retest samples just in case they were unable to detect a banned substance the first time.

Wayne Angel, a former track athlete and Florida A&M University’s track and field head coach, says one reason it takes much longer to detect certain banned substances is because some athletes use higher quality substances.

“Many of the guys who are in those situations are probably taking high-class type dope and have good physicians who can cover it up,” Angel said. “The cheap stuff gets detected quickly. The really good stuff can be overlooked because it synthesizes with the body.”

The penalties that follow doping are notably common today. After Ukrainian Shot-putter Yuriy Bilonog’s samples were retested in December, she was proven guilty of doping during the 2004 Athens games.

Authorities stripped Ostapchuk’s gold medal just one day after the London Games’ closing ceremony. Authorities say she tested positive for Methenolone. an anabolic substance.