Pubdate: Mon, 03 Mar 2003
Source: Detroit Free Press (MI)
Copyright: 2003 Detroit Free Press
Contact:  http://www.freep.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/125
Author: Stephen Wilson, Associated Press
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/testing.htm (Drug Testing)

ROGGE: SIGN DRUG CODE OR RISK EXPULSION FROM OLYMPICS

COPENHAGEN, Denmark - Sports or countries that fail to comply with global
drug rules should be excluded from the Olympics, IOC president Jacques Rogge
said Monday.

Opening a three-day summit on drugs in sports, Rogge also said countries
refusing to fall into line should be barred from hosting or even bidding for
the games.

Rogge wants sports bodies and governments to adopt the World Anti-Doping
Agency's uniform code, with sanctions applied across all sports and
countries.

His intervention seemed to have an effect: Later in the day, soccer's
governing body settled its differences with WADA over two-year suspensions.
The international cycling federation also signaled its intent to back the
code despite continuing to criticize the sanctions and exemptions of U.S.
pro leagues.

``There should be no place in the Olympic Games for international
federations or national Olympic committees who refuse to implement the
code,'' Rogge said in his address to the 1,000 delegates. ``Likewise, no
organization of the Olympic Games should be awarded to a country whose
government has neglected or refused to implement the code.''

Despite disagreements over sanctions and U.S. leagues, Rogge urged sports
organizations and governments to accept the program as a compromise.

In a separate interview, Rogge said he wouldn't hesitate to push for a
sport's expulsion from the Olympics if it refused to comply before next
year's Athens Games.

``You have to be credible,'' he said. ``You cannot have two different types
of federations, the ones that follow the code and the ones that will not
follow the code.''

The IOC has held out the threat of expelling sports that fail to follow drug
regulations but has never carried it out.

Asked whether he would actually move to oust soccer - the world's most
popular sport - if it didn't adopt the code, Rogge said, ``I know how far I
would go. I'm very clear. I would make the proposal.''

FIFA president Sepp Blatter and cycling chief Hein Verbruggen were not at
the conference, sending aides instead.

The soccer federation said the code's two-year ban for serious drug
offenders could be seen as ``guidance'' only.

``We have an agreement that the two-year sanction will be the norm, but not
mandatory,'' FIFA medical chief Michel D'Hooghe said.

WADA president Dick Pound said two-year suspensions would be the
``principle'' but each federation could consider the circumstances of each
case. He noted the code does not specify a minimum two-year ban.

The agreement with FIFA would require minimal changes in the 53-page code,
which is put up for approval Wednesday.

Verbruggen issued a stinging four-page statement, saying WADA had not
consulted enough with key organizations, was too lenient toward U.S. pro
leagues and was too harsh in imposing two-year sanctions. But, at the same
time, UCI said it supported the principles of the code and wouldn't block
its approval.

Rogge said he wished the code took a harder line on drugs in U.S. pro
sports. The U.S. leagues are not covered by the code because they are not
under the jurisdiction of international federations or governments.

``It is the unanimous sentiment in this room that this is not a good
situation for sport,'' Rogge said in the interview. ``They have no strict
rules, they are far more lenient than we are.''

But Rogge said the Olympic movement could not impose the rules on pro sports
and could only hope the government steps in.

``We have the moral duty to try to change the situation, although we know
damn well we have no real power,'' he said.

Rogge stressed that pro athletes in contention for Olympic teams in Athens
would be subject to out-of-competition testing - like any other athletes -
starting a year ahead of the games.

Rogge said he detected some progress in drug-testing in pro sports in the
United States.

``If enough persuasion is applied, that can only improve in the future,'' he
said.
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MAP posted-by: Doc-Hawk