BRITISH and world athletics authorities have lost the place over
management of information on doping infringements -- a view confirmed
yesterday by the mishandling of details of three further British
offenders, previously indicated to be club athletes, but one of whom has
proved to be four-times Scottish hammer champion Lawrie Nisbet.
Identities are not supposed to be revealed until two samples of urine
are analysed and the results confirmed as identical.
But three recent high-profile incidents, involving internationalists
Solomon Wariso, Paul Edwards, and Diane Modahl, emerged before B-sample
analysis, as did Nisbet.
Modahl is consulting her solicitors, and the International Amateur
Athletic Federation now fear protracted litigation similar to that which
resulted in a $27.5m damages verdict against the world body in the US
courts.
But the IAAF themselves have chosen a bizarre method of publicising
offenders. After the Herald revealed that there were some 20 cases in
the pipeline worldwide, this was denied by the world body.
Yet they have now carried a bulletin in their own magazine, listing 29
offenders caught since February, in a manner clearly designed as a
damage-limitation exercise to minimise the impact of the scandal.
Some of the names -- 21 different nationalities -- were known, but
many were not. Included among them are Nigerian Chidi Imoh, the former
double World Student Games 100m champion, double African Games champion,
and grand-prix final winner in 1986 (banned for four years), and China's
Hu Gangjun, a medallist in this year's Rotterdam marathon, who received
a three-month suspension.
Edinburgh Southern Harrier Nisbet, a 33-year-old architect, faces a
three-month ban after having taken two Sudafed tablets to clear a sinus
infection in July. He competed two days later, winning the Scottish
Highland Games title at Lochaber.
''I knew testing would be in operation, but never even thought about
it,'' said Nisbet yesterday.
''I'm certainly no cheat. And so far, I haven't even been informed of
the result of the B test, which I have authorised should be done.''
The tablets he took, available without prescription from any chemist,
contain pseudoephedrine, a banned substance, but in such minute
quantities that it is unlikely that any performance-enhancing effect
would be obtained.
Nisbet says he knows of at least one professional heavy-events athlete
tested in similar circumstances this year who has received a warning
letter, but no suspension. ''This illustrates that the rules are not
being applied evenly,'' he said.
The identity of one of the other amateur offenders is Marcus Browning,
a club javelin thrower with Team Solent, plus an as yet unknown
Irishman.
Browning, who tested positive for a stimulant at the Gold Cup
semi-final in Corby on July 31, has waived the right to a second
analysis, has resigned from the club, and, faced with a four-year
suspension, says he is giving up the sport.
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