Amid a backdrop of doping scandal MPCC releases the last update of its doping case count by sport and country. The Russian Athletics Federation (ARAF) has been temporarily suspended by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), which has even been threatened of suspension by the World Anti Doping Agency (WADA) less than nine months ahead of Rio 2016 Summer Olympics. Last year, athletics was the sport with the highest number of positive tests showing a total of 95 cases – 33 more than baseball.
As of 17 November 2015, athletics is the sport the most affected by doping and the gap is big again: from 29 positive tests on 26 August, just before the World Championships, athletics reached the figure of 49, being 15 more than weightlifting, the second most affected sport. As for Russia, it holds the number one position in country ranking with a total of 30 cases from the same date of 17 November 2015 – compared to 18 in both USA and United Kingdom.
Identifying doping cases is not an easy task and is subject to discretion if required by their respective international federations. Some do not advertise doping cases in their discipline. This has actually been highlighted by the recent scandals. Cycling, in contrast, reveals each positive test. Our numbers are therefore based on 2015 proven cases, according to official communications from federations and anti-doping agencies, etc.
Former President of IAAF, Lamine Diack, who has recently been put under investigation, said at the end of August: « We are not cycling ». With 17 cases, cycling is ranked 5th in that classification, behind baseball (3rd), football (4th) and… far from athletics. Only 4 of these cases involved members of World Tour teams. In half of the cases, the rider involved was part of a minor team (continental or non-UCI structures).
As a reminder, in 2014 cycling was the sport with the highest number of carried out tests targeting EPO or testosteron worldwide. All substances or methods taken together, cycling is ranked 3rd, with 30 tests less than athletics. By comparison, 1,800 athletes took part in Beijing 2015 World Championships, 198 riders competed in the 2015 Tour de France.
