Sergey Bubka: tough talk.

AFP/Paris

There should be zero tolerance for athletes who use banned drugs, according to the IAAF’s Sergey Bubka, who will call for a review of doping rules should he be elected president of track and field’s governing body next month.
Bubka lit up athletics as a pole vaulter, winning Olympic gold and being crowned world champion six times in a career in which he broke the world record 35 times.
And now the Ukrainian finds himself in a dogfight with Britain’s two-time 1500m champion Seb Coe to replace Lamine Diack as president of the International Association of Athletics Federations, with the vote set for August 19, ahead of the world championships in Beijing.
One of his manifesto pledges is to continue the crackdown on doping, with track and field still dogged by claims of institutionalised doping, be it by individual coaches or countries’ federations.
“Zero tolerance for doping,” reiterated Bubka in a press briefing in Paris.
“We must continue the fight and protect clean athletes, work closely with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), with international federations and the IOC, to combine our resources, energy and finance.”
Coe has pledged to set up an independent anti-doping agency solely for track and field if he is voted in as president, but Bubka preferred the option of continuing to work alongside WADA.
“I can see being with WADA being the most successful because the governments can contribute financially and also offer scientific and medical expertise with government involvement, INTERPOL, we need that.
“It’s reality, it’s not a pleasant area. Of course I don’t like it but the reality is someone respects the rules and someone cheats. We must continue to fight that.”
Bubka’s manifesto has a heavy slant on involving more children in athletics, calling on athletes to act as role models they would like to emulate.
When asked whether sprinter Justin Gatlin, who at 32 is in the form of his life after serving two doping bans, was a suitable role model, Bubka said the American was simply following current IAAF rules and regulations.
“I remember in 1999 when WADA started, and I remember how many lawyers from different parts of the world were brought together to develop one rule or regulation (that covers) all the world, it’s a very complicated issue,” Bubka said.

Barshim, Bondarenko to clash in London
London: Mutaz Essa Barshim and Bogdan Bondarenko will challenge the high jump world record when they compete at the Sainsbury’s Anniversary Games on Friday 24 July, the London leg of the IAAF Diamond League series.
Javier Sotomayor’s world record of 2.45m has stood since 1993, but has come under serious threat in recent years as Barshim and Bondarenko have had a series of thrilling clashes. Barshim has beaten Bondarenko nine times compared to eight victories for the Ukrainian and both athletes cleared 2.38m when they last competed on British soil at the 2014 Sainsbury’s Birmingham Grand Prix.
This will be their third clash in the Olympic Stadium, their first being at the 2012 Games where both cleared 2.29m with Barshim taking the bronze medal on count-back. One year later, at the Sainsbury’s Anniversary Games, Bondarenko gained revenge, jumping 2.38m to comfortably beat his Qatari rival.
World indoor champion Barshim, who is second on the world all-time list with a personal best of 2.43m, has cleared 2.40m or higher on no fewer than eight occasions while world and European champion Bondarenko, equal third all-time with a best of 2.42m, has scaled 2.40m a total of seven times. Both athletes are now confident that the world record could fall in London.
“It was amazing to compete in London at the Olympics in 2012,” said Barshim. “To get a bronze medal made it even more special so I can’t wait to go back and compete there again at the Sainsbury’s Anniversary Games.
“My main focus is to improve myself and with that, the record will fall, and the support from the crowd will play a big role in that.”
“Sotomayor’s world record is really strong but we’re getting closer to it and the Sainsbury’s Anniversary Games could be the time when it happens, which would be really special,” added Bondarenko. “It’s great to be up against someone like Barshim because we push each other further in every competition and it makes the event very exciting for the fans, but there will be a lot of good athletes in London so I will have to be at my very best.”
Barshim and Bondarenko headline a strong field, which also includes Britain’s Olympic bronze medallist Robbie Grabarz, USA’s Olympic silver medallist Erik Kynard and Italy’s Marco Fassinotti.