IOC, WADA urge full doping code compliance

The International Olympic Committee and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) urged governments and international federations to do more to comply with an anti-doping code saying doping was an epidemic.

At the opening of the Third World Conference on Doping in Sport, IOC President Jacques Rogge said the problem was spreading to teenagers and younger children as well as recreational athletes according to recent studies.

"Doping is one of the most serious threats the Olympic movement has ever seen," Rogge told an international audience of governments and sports federations. "It is not only about testing and sanctioning. It is a public health problem."

The efforts of the WADA, which will take up a revision of its doping code during the three-day conference, have been hampered by a reluctance of governments and several international federations to adopt the policy.

WADA has threatened some sports could be dropped from future Games if their federations do nothing to fight doping.

"I urge all governments to assume their full responsibility. I urge (international federations and national committees) to accelerate their efforts... by January 1 2009," Rogge said, referring to the date when the new code comes into force.