Former 100 metres world record-holder Donovan Bailey told AFP on Wednesday that Turkey had a lot of work to do in resolving their doping problem but added they should be credited with tackling it head on.
The 45-year-old Canadian, who won 100m Olympic gold in 1996 and the world crown in 1995, knows the athletics set up in Turkey well, having raced there for the Istanbul-based Fenerbahce club in the early 1990s.
The banning last week of 31 Turkish athletes for doping offences have in the opinion of some International Olympic Committee (IOC) members placed a question mark over Istanbul’s bid to host the 2020 Olympic Games.
Their opinion is crucial as they will vote in Buenos Aires on September 7 to decide whether to award the 2020 Games to Istanbul, Madrid or Tokyo.
But Bailey believes that despite embarrassing headlines and work to be done to stamp out dope cheats, Turkey had come a long way since he raced there.
“When I was there, there was no evidence of widespread drug use,” said Bailey, who along with his Fenerbahce team-mates still holds the national 4x100m relay record.
“But there was also no grass-roots or development programmes in places like Jamaica.
“My programme was from my coach and my Turkish teammates trained from that programme. The athletes had no coaching, poor facilities, no expert nutritionists and definitely no therapy.
“Now the government is investing properly in the grass-roots and elite level training, sourcing the best coaches and expert advice to my understanding. They are giving young Turkish athletes what they need to succeed in the right way — the clean way.”
Bailey, who with Jamaican superstar Usain Bolt is the only 100m world champion never to be associated with doping, said that based on the work being done, Istanbul’s candidacy did not deserve to be punished.
“Based on the government programme that I understand is in place right now, I have to believe that doping will not be an issue in Turkey by 2020,” said Bailey.
“I think what they’re doing now is absolutely right. They’re working hard on detection and sanctions and educating the young.”
Bailey, who also won Olympic 4×100 metres relay gold in 1996, said the road to improvement was often painful.
“I’m still in touch with some of the guys from Fenerbahce and from what I am hearing Turkey is fighting this really hard.
“You have to realise that Turkey didn’t have an approved anti-doping commission when I was there but I know they now have one in place.
“They are nowhere near where they need to be yet but they have to catch up quickly. It’s been tough with the positive tests recently but no pain, no gain — they know their sport and their country will be better for it.”
Bailey added that in any case doping was not just a Turkish problem.
“Look, no-one ever believed we had won the war on doping. It’s still a global problem,” he added.
“So for me, every positive test is a positive result — it’s a battle won. Turkey has identified the problem, they’ve acknowledged it to the world and they are taking steps to put it right.”
Turks 'deserve credit for tackling doping'
