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Darren Campbell: IAAF must decide if ex-dopers can compete again

Campbell said the men鈥檚 100m final at the World Championships had been overshadowed by the media's narrative of two-time doper Gatlin as "evil".

Olympic Gold medalist Darren Campbell says "a decision needs to be made" from the IAAF on whether athletes who have previously taken performance enhancing drugs should be allowed to compete again.

Campbell, a member of the 蜜芽传媒's commentary team, said he thought the men鈥檚 100m final at the World Championships had been overshadowed by the media's narrative of two-time doper Gatlin as "evil".

In 2001, when Gatlin was still at college, he was given a two-year suspension for taking a banned amphetamine.

He successfully argued this was due to medication he took for attention deficit disorder and was allowed to return to competition after just a year.

Then, in 2006 - having won the 100m and 200m double at the 2005 Worlds in Helsinki - he tested positive again, this time for testosterone.

He served a four-year ban that had been twice reduced from a lifetime and eight years

Campbell said 鈥渢he most important thing is what we learn鈥 from Gatlin鈥檚 experiences.

"People like Dwain Chambers and Justin Gatlin - if they're willing to go and share that experience and knowledge with young people to make sure no young person ends up in that situation that's vital, but we still end up right back at the same problem," said Campbell.
鈥淯ntil the IAAF do something and make decisions where there is full clarity these things will always happen鈥.

"Where there are these situations where people have taken performance enhancing drugs a decision needs to be made whether they're allowed back in the sport or not," he added.

A previous IAAF statement reads: 鈥淭he IAAF is proud of its position at the forefront of the global fight against doping in sport, and is resolutely committed to athletics, and to the preservation of a zero-tolerance policy with respect to doping."

鈥淥n an annual basis, the IAAF conducts an extensive anti-doping programme, including approximately 3500 annual in- and out-of-competition tests, scientific research, and informative and educational projects, being determined to remain the leading international federation in this regard."

鈥淚n recent years, this pledge has been underlined through a rigorous implementation of the Athlete Biological Passport.鈥

This clip is originally from 5 live Daily on August 26 2015.

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