By DPA
Osaka : Doping offenders are to be banned from the next Olympics even if the suspension had already ended by then, International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Jacques Rogge said here Friday.
Rogge made the announcement at a news conference following a meeting between the IOC and International Association of Athletic Federations (IAAF) on the eve of the world championships starting here Saturday.
“Every athlete who is penalized for more than six months, which would automatically be the case for anabolic steroids, blood transfusions and EPO, could not participate in the next Games,” Rogge said.
The IOC is aiming to stiffen doping laws and Rogge said he supported the IAAF, which wants the ban for serious first-time offenders doubled from two to four years.
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) will make a review of its code at a November conference in Madrid.