Bach: BOA should not be punished for Olympic ban on drug cheats

Dec 7, 2011, 15:28 GMT

Lausanne, Switzerland - The British Olympic Association should not be punished for strict anti-doping rules which exceed those of the World Anti-Doping Agency, a senior Olympian said on Wednesday.

International Olympic Committee vice-president Thomas Bach of Germany said at IOC executive board meetings that the Court of Arbitration should allow room for interpretation when it is to rule on the issue in the run-up to the London 2012 Games.

The BOA imposes Olympic life bans on athletes who fail doping tests. The WADA said two weeks ago the British rule is a violation of the WADA code under which first-time offenders are banned for two years.

'The spirit of the WADA regulation is to fight doping,' Bach said. 'No one can sanction a National Olympic Committee for more than fulfilling the WADA rules.'

The CAS ruled against the IOC recently when it said that bans for the next Olympics for doping offenders suspended for six months and more violated the WADA code because it was a second sanction.

But the CAS said such a sanction is possible if WADA amends its code. The IOC executive board planned to discuss such an amendment at the meetings Wednesday and Thursday.

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