Australian sport's anti-drugs chief has hit out at Britain and America for their records of banning competitors who have failed drug tests.
Australian Sports Drug Agency chief executive John Mendoza compared both countries with the former East Germany, where drug use by elite competitors was widely encouraged by officials.
"It may not be the sin of commission that we saw in East Germany," Mendoza said today of the reluctance of Britain and America to issue bans against athletes who test positive, "but it is the sin of omission.
"When governments choose to invest in sport, and further link performance to funding, the need for a best-practice anti-doping programme is paramount," Mendoza said.
"The failure of national governing bodies to effectively manage this stage of the process requires firm and decisive action. There must be public accountability for all parties involved.
"Cover-ups, real or perceived, damage everyone in sport and lessen the value of sport as an institution. We are optimistic that the commission set up to inquire into the allegations will be competent, transparent and account for the facts," he said.
"Whether it results in a fundamental clean-up of US track and field we will need to wait and see."
Mendoza is an influential member of the World Anti-Doping Agency and supervised work in Australia in the build-up to last year's Sydney Olympics, which won praise for apparently deterring drug use at the Games.
The event was still blighted, however, when it emerged that some 20 positive tests on American athletes had not been acted upon by USA Track and Field.
Reuters