In an interview with German broadcaster Deutsche Welle, the president of World Athletics Sebastian Coe sounded a note warning to athletes who wants to use this period to cheat. Although he conceded that testing has been more difficult in this prevailing lockdown, curfews and international travel restrictions.
“But nobody should run away with the idea that there is no testing taking place at all. It is.
“I want to send a very clear message to the athletes: do not sit there thinking that this is a test-free zone. It isn’t.
“If you choose to step outside the integrity of our sport, you will get caught.”
Coe said the global pandemic will have financial consequences for athletes and hopes competitions can still take place in 2020.
“It’s not just about not having competitions – (athletes) have their own personal contracts and sponsorships,” said the former middle-distance runner.
“There are broadcast issues as well – if there are no competitions, there’s no prize money, so the first objective is to try and get competitions” going again.
“I am genuinely hoping that we can get athletes back into training later this year.
“Many (athletes) have maintained good conditioning, training in their houses, on balconies, in hotel corridors, in streets.
“Of course, not being able to run outside your front door is a big challenge.
“We want to get them back into competition as quickly as we can, but as safely as we can do it.”
