The , which oversees the anti-doping efforts in Olympic sports, professional cycling, and the World Cup, is expected to ratify a new World Anti-Doping Code at the World Conference on Doping in Sport this week in Johannesburg.
A longer suspension period is among the 2000 amendments expected to be implemented by January 1, 2015. This new rule would double the suspension period from two to four year, effectively banning athlete from the next Olympic Games for positive tests.
According to Thomas Bach, the International Olmypic Committee chief, the increase will protect clean athletes. “That must be our first priority,”
WADA also unveiled a new urine test designed to curtail steroid use. Similar to the Biological Passport, this system will build a profile of an athlete’s steroid levels from urine samples to identify any unusual changes. FIFA will be one of the first federations to use it, announcing on Tuesday it鈥檒l be part of its drug testing regimen at next year鈥檚 World Cup in Brazil.
Watch the World Conference on Doping in Sport live