AP: IOC doping official disputes contaminated food as defence

LONDON (AP) — the ILO's top doping official said he has seen no convincing evidence that athletes accidentally testing positive for clenbuterol or other prohibited drugs by eating infected meat. By Fabrice Coffrini, associated Press

Arne Ljungqvist invites claims tainted meat resulting in positive drug tests "old stories".

By Fabrice Coffrini, associated Press

Arne Ljungqvist invites claims tainted meat resulting in positive drug tests "old stories".

In an interview Friday with the Associated Press, Prof Arne Ljungqvist said claims. contamination of food in cases of doping are "old stories" going back 30 years and has never been accepted by an array of international sport.Ljungqvist, Chairman of the Medical Commission of the International Olympic Committee and Vice-president of the world Doping Agency, said he remains doubtful claims accidental doping — a defense that has been used by Tour de France champion Alberto Contador and others.Ljungqvist said the sporting world should continue to work on the principle of "strict liability", whereby athletes are responsible for what is on their system. "Of course, any trial or court hearing will excuse a person, if it could be 100%, has proved to be a random topic, that was completely beyond the possibilities to test (prohibited substances), "he said. "So far we have not had such a case."Ljungqvist said he could not comment specifically on Contador, cleared the Spanish cycling Federation this month after accusing positive test of clenbuterol during last year's tour for eating contaminated Spanish beef. the International Federation of cycling, UCI study the decision before deciding whether to Contador appeal. The World Anti-Doping Agency also appealed to the Court of arbitration for sport. "It is the first time that a National Federation world their own athlete, "Ljungqvist said in a telephone interview from Sweden. "For this reason we have this assurance of a system of appeal."You have had such cases even back in the 1980s, and until now there has been no hearing panel has accepted these arguments at the end, "he added. "We have ethnic groups have been sorry those athletes, but when he came to the final decision, have all been ruled guilty."In 2009, the CAS Panel rejected a Polish canoeist Adam Seroczynski's claims that the positive test for clenbuterol at the summer Olympics in Beijing was the result of "food tampering" by organizers fed the contaminated meat. ILO expert witness in the case rejected the likelihood of accidental contamination.Clenbuterol is WADA list of prohibited substances as an anabolic agent which causes muscle and fat burning. It is also used illegally by farmers to bulk up livestock.Ljungqvist served as Chairman of the IAAF Medical Committee from 1980-2004 and participated in many of the largest cases of doping "in athletics.This is so far from the old stories, "said the defence food contamination. "It is not simply clenbuterol. Declare that they have already mixed alkylnaphthalenes from what they had eaten. "Ljungqvist recalled listening in the early 1980s by a Norwegian shot putter who blamed the positive test, a case that led to the adoption of strict liability rule. "You have to make sure that you do not receive restricted substances in your body in every way, "he said.Ljungqvist has little particular to a recent study of clenbuterol contamination from the WADA-accredited laboratory in Cologne, Germany. The lab found that 22 of the 28 passengers returning to Germany from China tested positive for the low levels of clenbuterol, probably from contamination of food caused by misuse of the drug in cattle farming. the study was prompted by the case of the German table tennis player Dimitrij Ovtcharovwho accused of clenbuterol test on contaminated meat. The German Federation decided not to ban, and WADA chose not to Undo. "for me this does not seem to be a scientific study with double-checking and control hardware and everything," said Ljungqvist. "Haven't seen a properly designed scientific design to demonstrate this fact."Asked for evidence of clenbuterol contamination in China, he said, "I don't know. If it were so, I think we should have a number of cases. "WADA Director General David Howman said this week the Agency has asked China for information about using steroids to increase.Zhao Jian, Deputy Director of China's anti-doping agency, rejected the conclusions of the Cologne lab.Zhao called "problematic", the German laboratory warning about Chinese food questioned the science behind it and said it unfairly pointed out a finger at China. Zhao is noted that Germany had a recent dioxin-tainted food scandal which led to the closure of thousands of farms that sell eggs, poultry and pork. It also said there are dozens of reported cases of clenbuterol doping labs around the world each year, not only in China. "Not food safety is an issue for only one country or a region, "said Zhao. "It is a global problem".