media_artricles :: 2015

Lewis has faith in IAAF, WADA

MID what is being dubbed the “biggest leak of blood-test data in sporting history”, Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee (TTOC) president Brian Lewis remains confident in the sport’s governing body following recent allegations that a third of Olympic and World Championship medals in endurance races since 2001 were awarded to competitors with suspicious doping test results.

The revelation was made by the Sunday Times and German broadcaster ARD/WDR and included 55 gold medals.

Speaking to the local fraternity’s president, Brian Lewis, he chose to lay his trust in the hands of World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) for a speedy and transparent investigation into these matters.

However, Lewis steered clear of directly commenting on the matter which is gaining international scrutiny.

“We have a lot of confidence in the World Anti- Doping Agency and the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) and from the perspective of the TTOC, which is currently acting as the national Anti-Doping Organisation (NADO) while it is being implemented, at this point we think it is inappropriate to comment,” said Lewis yesterday.

“Currently, both WADA and the IAAF are fully investigating the allegations made in the newspaper to clarify this information.” Lewis spoke highly of this nation’s athletes and their managerial/medical teams who according to him, are known to uphold a high level of professionalism and have had clean careers. Additionally, Lewis also revealed that TT’s 2012 Men’s 4x100 metre relay team already returned their bronze medals to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) following USA’s disqualification one year after Tyson Gay tested positive for an anabolic steroid in 2013. The TT relay men are expected to be upgraded to silver.

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