Athletics: WMM imposes tougher penalties

LONDON: Stricter anti-doping penalties will be applied to elite athletes in the World Marathon Majors (WMM), the series that brings together six of the world’s top races, said organisers yesterday.

Tokyo, Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago and New York have collectively revised their elite athlete contracts to include new provisions that include the right to suspend payment and demand repayments of prize money, appearance fees and performance bonuses.

The sanctions will be triggered for any athlete ‘found in violation of a criminal offense involving drugs, anti-doping rules, or if for any other reason the athlete’s result has been nullified by a relevant governing body.’

Published in The Express Tribune, February 23^rd, 2013.