Pound Attacks Boa Over Ohuruogu Ban
Speaking after his keynote address at the FT Sport Industry Summit, World Anti-Doping Agency chairman Dick Pound criticised the British Olympic Association for imposing a lifetime ban on 400m runner Christine Ohuruogu for missing drugs tests.
Pound commented: ‘If I was her lawyer I would say doping offences are governed by the world anti-doping code and provides from this penalty for a first offence. It does not call for lifetime denial of access to the Olympics.’
Ohuruogu completed a year’s ban from athletics in August for missing three out-of-competition drugs tests, winning the 400m in the World Championships in Osaka the following month.
However she remains suspended for life from competing at the Olympic Games under a BOA by-law and is currently lobbying for the ruling to be overturned.
Pound lent his weight in support of the 23-year-old athlete being cleared to compete in the Beijing Olympics in 2008.
‘I have some legal sympathy with her although, as an Olympian, I would like to say to anybody the first time they do it and it’s clear that it’s not an accident, I don’t want to play with you any more, ever.
‘The system in which we are working says for the first offence you serve a penalty and then you can come back in.’
No date has been set but Ohuruogu’s hearing in front of the BOA’s independent appeals panel will be in mid-late November.
