US sport must toe doping line
2005-04-20 15:41
Berlin - American professional sports must follow the strict doping suspensions accepted by the rest of the world if they are to have any credibility declared IOC president Jacques Rogge here on Wednesday.
His comments came following the recent 10-day suspensions on two US baseball players caught taking anabolic steroids.
Rogge said that in other sports, professional athletes were banned for two years.
"Following Wada (World Anti-Doping Agency) rules is the only way to get credibility," said the IOC president.
But he added the ban was at least a step in the right direction.
"It was a very tiny step but they are moving, slowly, but moving in the right direction," he said.
Earlier this month Tampa Bay Devil Rays outfielder Alex Sanchez was the first major leaguer to be suspended 10 days for violating Major League Baseball's (MLB) policy on steroids.
Several days later Colorado Rockies Jorge Piedra was also suspended for 10 days for testing positive.
Under the new MLB policy which took effect last month, steroids and other performance-enhancing substances only draw a 10-day suspension for a first offence.
- SAPA