The IAAF is "considering a name change in an attempt to overhaul its tainted reputation," according to Charles Sale of the London DAILY MAIL. The IAAF name was "dragged through the mud" two years ago when it was revealed "disgraced" former President Lamine Diack collaborated with Russian drugs cheats. Current President Sebastian Coe has "repaired some of the damage from Diack’s regime" with a reform program, but the IAAF name has "sunk so low that some within the federation believe a fresh title such as World Athletics would help market the sport." The IAAF will "consider all branding issues this year with a possible name change on the agenda," especially as what IAAF stands for is "not widely known outside athletics" (DAILY MAIL, 8/7).
'INHUMANE': The BBC reported criticism of Justin Gatlin's 100m triumph by Coe was "inhumane," according to the athlete's agent. Gatlin, 35, who has served two doping bans, was "booed before and after Saturday's World Championship final." Coe then said that he would not "eulogise" about the American's victory. Renaldo Nehemiah said, "I take offense to, with all respect, Lord Coe." He added, "Lord Coe's a part of the IAAF who set the rules, who set out the punishments, and when you serve the punishment you are supposed to be reinstated, which these athletes who have offended and abused some of these rules have, and if you don't want them in you should change the rules. You don't allow them in and then still condemn them" (BBC, 8/8).
WADA WORRIED: In London, Martyn Ziegler reported WADA President Craig Reedie said that the agency is "bracing itself for attempts to weaken the sanctions given to drugs cheats." Two years ago, WADA doubled the length of bans to four years for first-time offenders in serious cases, "with lifetime bans for a second offence." A review will take place in '19, and Reedie expects "some sports to argue for the sanctions to be diluted; others will want tougher penalties." Reedie said, "The last time the code was reviewed there was a general consensus that a two-year ban was not long enough, that came out very clearly across sport. The next review will be in 2019 and we ... are aware some sports think that four years is too long for a first offense, and not everyone believes that lifetime bans are a good thing for a second offense" (LONDON TIMES, 8/8).
'NO TIME FOR THAT': RTÉ reported Caster Semenya rounded on the IAAF "for its plan to reintroduce gender testing." South Africa's Semenya has been "scrutinised for high levels of testosterone ever since emerging as 800m world champion" in '09, aged 18. The IAAF "wants to reinstate rules limiting how much testosterone female athletes can have in their bodies." Semenya: "For me I have no time for that. It's been like this since 2009. For me, when you listen to music and have one song playing each and every time ... it's been almost nine years and it's quite boring" (RTÉ, 8/8).
