Australia’s Olympic chiefs will name and shame any drug cheats as gold medallist hurdler Sally Pearson says she’s uncertain how clean next year’s Rio Olympics will be.
Pearson says she’s disappointed that track and field is dealing with reports of mass doping.
“I don’t understand how you can go out into a sporting arena and compete knowing what you have taken and been proud of that,” Pearson told AAP on Wednesday.
Australia’s Olympic chef de mission Kitty Chiller said the nation’s anti-drugs stance was clear.
“If you dope, to be blunt, if you cheat, and you’re a member of the Australian Olympic team, we will name, shame and put you on a plane,” Chiller said on Wednesday.
Chiller’s comments came as track and field’s governing body, the IAAF, dismissed as “sensationalist and confusing” allegations of mass doping that have rocked the world of athletics.
The IAAF “strongly rejected” allegations of hundreds of suspicious blood tests from athletes reported in European newspapers.
Pearson, who won gold in the 100m hurdles at the 2012 London Olympics, said there would likely be drug cheats at next year’s Rio Games.
“Unfortunately it’s going to be there,” she said.
“I don’t know how confident I am about how clean it is going to be in Rio.
“But as long as we can do everything we can to make it the cleanest Olympics we can, then that is a really good start.”
Pearson, who is Australia’s track and field team captain, didn’t plan on speaking to other athletes about the scandal.
“I don’t think I’m educated enough in the whole situation to be able to comment too much on it,” she said.
“But personally for me, it’s just disappointing to hear about it.
“At the end of the day, it’s good that they are being caught as much as it’s disappointing as it is that it still exists.
“The testing is getting a lot more professional, a lot more advanced, and catching more and more athletes.”
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