WADA commits to protect athletes' confidentiality on doping issue

Madrid: The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has pledged to protect the confidentiality of athletes and organisations whose rights have been deemed under threat.

WADA's commitment came in light of recent allegations claimed by German television ARD and the Sunday Times on rampant doping in sports, reports on Friday.

German broadcaster ARD released the television documentary "Doping - Top Secret: The Shadowy World of Athletics" which alleged that blood test results were manipulated or falsified.

WADA has confirmed that an independent commission would open an urgent investigation into the accusations launched by the documentary, which cited leaked data from the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), containing more than 12,000 blood tests of some 5,000 athletes between 2001 and 2012.

"WADA is committed to protecting the confidentiality of athletes; and, therefore, has asked its Independent Commission to commence its investigation with urgency," WADA president Craig Reedie said on Friday.

"We are confident that the IAAF, which has formally agreed to full cooperation with the Commission with respect to its inquiries, is equally committed. WADA deplores the manner in which this data was obtained, leaked to the media and analyzed," Reedie noted.

"To suggest or imply doping with respect to any athlete whose data is contained within the database is, at the very least, irresponsible and potentially libelous. I ask that any athlete, or anti-doping organization, concerned that their rights are being eroded or inappropriately challenged refer those concerns to the Commission, which intends to commence its work immediately," the WADA president added.

"A portion of the data within the database pre-dates the Athlete Biological Passport (ABP), which was introduced in 2009. This data could not possibly be considered doping, legally or otherwise," WADA Director General David Howman said.

"In addition, atypical blood data, which may be within this database from 2009 - 2012, is not necessarily indicative of doping," Howman added.