18 May 2016

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has unleashed a serious war against doping which might result in 31 athletes from six sporting codes missing the Rio 2016 Olympic Games in August.  

IOC announced on its website on Tuesday that it has re-tested 454 selected doping samples from the 2008 Olympic Games. Information suggests that the re-tests, conducted using latest scientific analysis methods, focused on athletes who could start at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. 

The re-tests follows work with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the International Federations. 

Contacted for a comment on the latest development, chief executive officer of Botswana National Olympic Committee (BNOC), Tuelo Serufho said his organisation welcomes the development.

“We are confident that none of our athletes doped at both the Beijing and London games,” Serufho adding that BNOC did not condone doping.  He said BNOC would never participate in any form of systemic doping and urged local athletes to stay clean at all times.

Serufho said BNOC has consistently maintained its position that doping has no place in sport as it tarnishes the good image of sport and puts athletes' lives at risk.

 “It is common cause that cheats are sophisticated in sports, such that they can musk performing enhancing substances and employ other methods to ensure that authorities cannot detect those,” he said. He said WADA is now developing sophisticated methods that could detect previously undetectable doping cases. ENDS