MONTREAL, 25 October 2003 — The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) on Thursday called on all international sports federations to retest all stored samples for the designer steroid tetrahydrogestrinone (THG).
WADA said they had sent a letter to all international federations and national anti-doping agencies asking them to review their internal protocols and processes to determine whether stored samples can be analyzed for this substance.
“A proactive approach in this matter is crucial,” said David Howman, WADA’s director general, in the letter. “It not only sends a message to athletes that cheating will not be tolerated, but also reassures the general public that definite steps are being taken to stamp out the scourge of doping in sport.”
WADA said that they had offered to assist the organizations in any way possible with this matter. Several federations, including the international athletics federation (IAAF) and the swimming federation (FINA), as well as some of the national anti-doping agencies have indicated that they will retest samples they have.
Also yesterday the international ski federation (FIS) announced that athletes participating in the World Cup season-opening races on the weekend would be tested for THG. FIS general secretary, Sarah Lewis said that her organization had excellent contacts with laboratories that could test for THG.
The controversy surrounding THG broke last week when the American anti-doping agency USADA announced that some 40 athletes — reportedly from several sports and nationalities — had been caught using THG. The B-tests are to be carried out in December. The steroid was reportedly developed by the Bay Area Laboratory Cooperative (BALCO) in America.
