Berlin (AFP)
President of the International Athletics Federation Sebastian Coe has warned athletes tempted by doping during the stopping of the competitions that they will "get caught".
"Clearly, due to confinement, curfews and movement restrictions, doping controls are more difficult to carry out," Coe, 63, told German broadcaster Deutsche Welle on Friday.
"But no one should imagine that no checks are taking place," he added. "I want to send a very clear message to the athletes: do not think that we are in a period without tests. This is not the case."
"If you choose not to respect the integrity of your sport, you will get caught," he warned.
The 2020 athletics season was wiped out by coronavirus and the Tokyo Olympics, the culmination of the season, were postponed to 2021.
Thursday, the European athletics championships, which were to take place in August in Paris, were canceled and eight of the main meetings of the major circuit have already been canceled or postponed without certainty on their reprogramming.
Sebastian Coe however hopes that competitions can take place in 2020.
"I sincerely hope that the athletes can train again this year," he said. "We want them to be able to return to competition as quickly as possible, but also safely."
© 2020 AFP