Drugs scandal rocks Turkey's 2020 Games bid

TURKEY'S hopes of staging the 2020 Olympic s could be wrecked by the latest drug sting to hit the country's sporting reputation.

TURKEY'S hopes of staging the 2020 Olympic Games could be wrecked by the latest drug sting to have left the country's sporting reputation tattered and torn.

Although Turkey will not be thrown out of next month's world athletics championships in Moscow, amid reports that more than 20 athletes tested positive last month, the Istanbul campaign could be fatally weakened.

Tokyo and Madrid are the other candidate cities, with a winner due to be announced by the International Olympic Committee in September. If an inquiry is taking place while drug bans are being issued, Istanbul will face some awkward questions.

The vote will take place just weeks after the end of a world championships already blighted by the shadow of drugs. Last month, eight Turkish athletes tested positive at the European team championships in Gateshead, while another eight weightlifters were left out of the team for the Mediterranean Games in Turkey after failing tests.

It was at the latter event that the IAAF, the world governing body, conducted a string of target tests on Turkish athletes, resulting in a large number of positive urine samples.

The IAAF is now waiting for the B samples to confirm any wrongdoing. A statement read: "Following concerns highlighted by abnormal biological passport values, the IAAF, with the national anti-doping agency, intensified the testing program in Turkey, the results of which remain ongoing in accordance with IAAF rules."

However, even before those B samples are in, Turkish officials have confirmed that there have been 24 positive tests for the year, albeit that only eight Turks are serving bans at present.

Among those facing sanctions are Asli Cakir Alptekin. She took almost six seconds off her personal best last July, sparking incredulity, and then won the 1500m at the London Olympics. Having already served a two-year suspension, she now faces a life ban after a second positive test.

The suggestion that the scale is enough for the IAAF to kick Turkey out of the world championships is likely to be wide of the mark. The championships are only 30 days away and the IAAF council will not meet until the day before.

The Times