WADA moves to protect athletes' privacy in athletics doping allegations

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has told athletes to report if they felt their rights were violated in widespread doping allegations against international athletics.

The allegations stem from the television documentary titled "Doping - Top Secret: The Shadowy World of Athletics", which was released by German broadcaster ARD on August 1.

The documentary alleges that ARD and The Sunday Times obtained a leaked database, belonging to the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), which contained more than 12,000 blood tests from around 5,000 athletes in the years 2001 to 2012.

WADA announced on Friday that they launched an urgent investigation of their own because they found that "athletes are being approached by some media representatives who are asking them to allow information about them, held with the leaked database, to be made public."

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

Reedie urged "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."

WADA director general David Howman said confirmation of a doping case needs careful scrutiny.

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

"WADA's rules governing the ABP are designed to ensure a complete and fair review of ABP profiles and require the unanimous opinion of three experts," he said. Endi