ISTANBUL (AP) — The head of Turkey’s Olympic committee says the spate of doping cases in the country should help — rather than harm — Istanbul’s bid for the 2020 Games.
Ugur Erdener says the increase in positive cases “shows that Turkey is fighting doping and, in my opinion, will affect the Olympic bid positively, not negatively.”
Erdener says in a statement to Turkey’s state-run Anadolu Agency on Wednesday that “we are pressing ahead with our efforts to combat doping with tests conducted during and outside of competitions.”
Istanbul is competing with Madrid and Tokyo for the 2020 Olympics, with the IOC vote to be held on Sept. 7.
The IAAF said Tuesday it had “intensified” its testing program in Turkey amid reports of dozens of new positive doping cases in the country.
