Press Release - London Marathon - 8/09/15

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

               Statment from The London Marathon
	        on a Zero Tolerance Policy Towards Doping

The London Marathon has always been at the forefront of the fight against 
doping. The race has a zero tolerance policy towards doping and athletes 
who record a positive test with a penalty of more than three months are 
banned for life from the event.

We believe there are people in our sport who are cheating and everyone has 
a part to play to protect those who are not. We continue to be at the 
forefront of anti-doping measures for marathon runners as we are determined 
to make marathon running a safe haven from doping but we cannot do it all 
on our own and rely heavily on the IAAF.

We are therefore very concerned by the allegations made in the Sunday Times 
today and we will be discussing the implications of the allegations with 
the IAAF.

We must make very clear the process involved in testing athletes at the 
London Marathon. The London Marathon pays for testing to take place at the 
event every year. However, we are not responsible for administering the 
tests – that is done by the UK Anti Doping Agency.  The London Marathon has 
spent tens of thousands of pounds on testing athletes and supporting the 
development of anti-doping measures over the years.

The London Marathon does not see the results of the tests and is therefore 
only informed if there is an adverse result from a test carried out at the 
London Marathon. We have never been informed of an adverse test from an 
athlete tested at the London Marathon between 2001 and 2012, or 
subsequently.

In 1999 the London Marathon was the first organisation to call for blood 
testing but it took until 2002 for the IAAF and other authorities to get 
this testing in place and it was immediately introduced in London. Since 
the advent of the Athlete Biological Passport being introduced to track 
blood tests over a period of time, these tests have become even more 
important. We are now seeing the success of ABPs. Liliya Shobhukova is an 
example of this: her original blood test was taken in 2009 and this led to 
her positive test and retrospective ban that has just been announced. The 
first blood test for Abderrahim Goumri was also taken in London.

Since 2002 all invited athletes are subject to blood tests in the week 
before the race and the top three and other random athletes are then 
subject to urine testing immediately after the event. Again, the London 
Marathon does not administer these tests and does not see the results and 
is only informed if the tests are positive. The London Marathon was the 
first athletics event anywhere in the world to have blood tests for all of 
its invited athletes.

As a member of the World Marathon Majors, the London Marathon (in a joint 
initiative with the other five member races) is responsible for the funding 
of extensive additional out-of-competition testing of a testing pool of 
marathon runners which was announced March 2015. 
See https://www.worldmarathonmajors.com/news/wmm/show/
abbott-world-marathon-majors-and-international-athletics-federation-
release-details-of-testing-pool

The London Marathon has already announced that it intends to commence legal 
proceedings against athletes who have failed tests if they do not repay 
money that they have received from the event.

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