Cycling and soccer not doing enough, says WADA chief

The fight against illegal drugs in sport is making progress, but some sports, notably cycling and soccer, are not doing enough, says World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) president Dick Pound.

"Our enemies are clearly identified," Pound said in an interview with French sports daily L'Equipe released yesterday.

"The athletes and the federations are on our side and that's essential. If I take out cycling and some elements within FIFA, all is well."

Pound said the International Cycling Union (UCI) must do more to clean up a sport tainted by doping for decades.

"Last spring, when I visited the UCI headquarters in Aigle (Switzerland), I saw that extremely sophisticated building and was told that (anti-doping) controls were too expensive... it still makes me smile," Pound said.

"During that visit, on April 13, (former UCI president Hein) Verbruggen told me that the state of mind in cycling had changed," said Pound.

"UCI were even thinking about reducing the number of tests. A few weeks later, the Puerta case broke out," he added, referring to an ongoing doping scandal in Spain.

Pound said that while FIFA was not in the same position as UCI, it too had to do more to combat doping.

"They have changed their rules and now comply with the (WADA anti-doping) code, barring a few details," he said.

"For instance, they are still not capable to refer disciplinary rulings made by national federations to CAS (Court of Arbitration for Sport)."