Sergei Bubka, the former pole vault champion who is standing for election to be the next IOC president, has insisted that public confidence in athletics has not been destroyed by the recent positive drugs tests by leading sprinters.
Two of the world’s leading 100m runners, Asafa Powell and Tyson Gay, both tested positive for banned substances but Bubka claims that shows the anti-doping system is working.
Bubka also revealed that the Russian government will hand out free tickets to schoolchildren and students for the World Championships in Moscow during August to ensure the stadium is full following slow ticket sales.
Bubka, the Ukrainian whose world record in pole vault set 19 years ago still stands, admitted the doping failures had been a blow to the sport but said cheats would not succeed and backed a doubling of the minimum ban to four years for a first offence.
Speaking to reporters in London, he said: “When I heard about it I wasn’t happy but when you look at the system it is working, whether it’s in Jamaica, Russia or the United States.
“Those who try to cheat the system will pay the price. There are no excuses for anyone any more – there is no doubt today.
“It is our duty to protect honest athletes and I think there must be increased (sanctions) from two years to four years. It’s very important for the credibility of sport.”
Bubka, who is one of six candidates for the IOC presidency and by some distance the youngest at 49, is also the head of the IAAF commission monitoring the World Championships in Moscow from August 10-18 and he said issues over slow ticket sales were being addressed.
“I have spoken to the sports minister, the mayor and to president(Vladimir) Putin about this and they have a special programme to distribute tickets to schools and students,” he said. “They have promised us it will be a full stadium.”
Bubka’s election manifesto is similar in content to all his five rivals in emphasising the need to encourage youth sport, keep the costs of the Olympics under control and for the Games to have a sustainable legacy.
He also believes there should be an in-depth review of the Olympic sports and disciplines to see which events need to be cut from the Games and to give more space to those which are the most attractive.
Bubka also believes the issue of being able to stage the summer Olympics in countries such as Qatar, where the summer heat would make it impractical in July and August, needs to be looked at.
Doha previously bid on the basis of holding the Games in October, when it is cooler, but was eliminated before the main vote. Football’s world governing body FIFA is now wrestling with proposals to hold its 2022 World Cup in Qatar in the winter.
Bubka said: “It needs to be looked at very carefully. We need to give opportunities for different territories to host – we cannot just eliminate someone.
“Technology is changing and we need to look at the best way to go for the future.”
The IOC presidential election is taking place in Buenos Aires on September 10.
Bubka’s rivals are: Thomas Bach (Germany), Richard Carrion (Puerto Rico), Ser Miang Ng (Singapore), Denis Oswald (Switzerland) and Ching-Kuo Wu (Taiwan).