US accused of drugs cover-up

A day after the head coach of the US swimming team raised the drugs bogey in the pool, it is the turn of the International Amateur Athletic Federation's doping chief to accuse the USA of covering up drugs cases.

Speaking to Channel 4 News, Arne Ljungqvist said that laboratory reports sent to the American athletics governing body had never been heard of again. "They have been dealt with and the athletes exonerated without us knowing," the IAAF dope head said.

The drug cases, numbering "10 or 12 in the last one or two years", had been detected at a laboratory in Indianapolis, and the findings had been passed on to the USATF, but nothing further had been heard.

USATF executive officer Craig Masback denied the allegation, and said that the IAAF had been given a full report of "every case of any sport. I don't know why they are confused," Masback said, on the Channel 4 News programme.

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