International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach talked anti-doping in a press conference last week, noting that although he would support lifetime bans for doping, they wouldn’t hold up legally.
Inside the Games has the story, with Bach talking about the state of anti-doping, as well as his long-running relationship with new Athletics president Sebastian Coe.
Bach and Coe were both athlete representatives in the Olympic Congress way back in 1981, where Bach says the two pushed for lifetime bans for doping offenders.
Though Bach said he would still support that sort of punishment, he also says the 30 years since have taught him that it’s not a legally viable option.
“If you ask me about my emotions I would say really, yes, a lifetime ban I would still support,” he said in the Inside the Games piece.
“But I had to learn from different courts and lawyers, like Seb Coe and others asking for this, that this is legally just not possible.
“A lifelong ban does not stand any kind of challenge, so we have to accept this.
“It is a matter of human rights.”
Bach did express his optimism that the IOC will be able to work towards a “zero tolerance policy” involving doping, as the world’s sporting federations continue to try to stay atop new methods for athletes trying to gain an unfair edge over the competition.
“Yep! That pee alright!!”
How is the privilege of competing in a sport at an elite level with it’s own rules, most of which coincide with coincide with general law, a “human right”??
I agree they can always go swim in the pool down at the local high school…no one is taking away their right to swim just their right to swim in a sport that has rules that need to be followed
Great photo.