PARIS (AP) — The days are over when Olympics organizers and anti-doping officials would typically predict “the cleanest games ever.” Not at these Paris Olympics.
“It’s not our role to do it,” World Anti-Doping Agency president Witold Bańka said Thursday.
“It’s not that now we want to assure that every single athlete is clean. We do not,” Bańka said at the agency’s pre-games news conference. “It’s obvious that you will never eliminate doping from the sporting landscape.”
“You will always find someone who wants to cheat.”
The lesson of the 2008 Beijing Olympics and 2012 London Olympics is that it can take years to judge how clean or dirty it was.
Dozens of medals were stripped and athletes disqualified years after those competitions, in large part because more advanced testing could be used on samples.
The samples taken in Paris will be stored and can be re-tested until 2034 in a program run by the International Testing Agency (ITA), the operational wing of the global anti-doping system based in the Olympic home city of Lausanne, Switzerland.
“Our role is to oversee the system,” Bańka said of Montreal-based WADA, “to make sure the system is robust, to make sure that we are using all the existing tools to test athletes properly.”
“And not to tell you that the Games are going to be totally clean and you will not have even one single positive test,” said the 39-year-old former 400-meter runner from Poland.
WADA took one track and field athlete out of the Paris Olympics on Thursday, after winning an appeal hearing at the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne.
CAS judges imposed a two-year ban on Romanian long jumper Florentina Iusco who had tested positive last year for a banned diuretic, furosemide. WADA used its right to challenge doping verdicts worldwide after a Romanian tribunal decided she was not at fault and issued only a reprimand.
Bańka said Thursday the program overseen by the ITA took 87,000 samples from potential Olympic athletes in March to June. The best-in-class operator is likely track and field's Athletics Integrity Unit.
“Our focus has been that the Olympics and Paralympic Games are protected,” Bańka said, “and the athletes are afforded a level playing field that they deserve.”
AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games
Witold Banka, president of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), left, and director general Olivier Niggli attend a press conference at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, July 25, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)
Witold Banka, president of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), attends a press conference at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, July 25, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)
MIAMI (AP) — Otto López was a triple shy of the cycle, Connor Norby homered and drove in three runs, and the Miami Marlins snapped NL East-leading Philadelphia’s six-game winning streak with a 9-5 victory over the Phillies on Saturday.
Jonah Bride also homered, while Xavier Edwards and Nick Fortes had two hits each for the Marlins, who had 14 hits a day after losing 16-2 to the Phillies.
John McMillon (2-1) pitched 1 1/3 innings of scoreless relief for the win.
Phillies starter Aaron Nola (12-7) was lifted after he allowed five runs and nine hits over 4 2/3 innings, walking two and striking out five. It was his shortest start since allowing eight runs and 11 hits in 3 1/3 innings against Boston on June 13.
Bride homered to lead off the fifth and put Miami ahead 5-3 and Jesús Sánchez added an RBI single in the sixth.
The Marlins padded their lead with a three-run seventh against former starter Taijuan Walker. López hit a solo homer over the center field wall in the inning and two runs scored on shortstop Trea Turner's throwing error.
Philadelphia's Kyle Schwarber hit a tying sacrifice fly in the third inning for his 93rd RBI of the season.
Norby hit a two-run homer in the first to put Miami ahead 2-1.
Marlins starter Darren McCaughan allowed three runs and six hits in 4 2/3 innings. The right-hander struck out four.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Phillies: Manager Rob Thomson said catcher J.T. Realmuto has some swelling but will remain with the club as he recovers from a left knee contusion sustained Friday. The Phillies selected the contract of catcher Aramis Garcia from Triple-A Lehigh Valley and designated RHP Nick Nelson for assignment.
Marlins: Placed RHP Max Meyer (right shoulder bursitis) and RHP Calvin Faucher (right shoulder impingement) on the 15-day injured list and OF Derek Hill (right shoulder impingement) on the 10-day injured list. ... LHP Andrew Nardi (left elbow muscle) was transferred to the 60-day injured list.
UP NEXT
RHP Seth Johnson will make his major league debut when he starts the series finale for the Phillies on Sunday. The Marlins have not announced a starter but manager Skip Schumaker said RHP Edward Cabrera could get the nod when he cleared all tests after he withdrew from his scheduled start Friday because of migraine-like symptoms.
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB
Miami Marlins starting pitcher Darren McCaughan (68) aims a pitch during the first inning of a baseball game against the Philadelphia Phillies, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024, in Miami. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
Philadelphia Phillies' Bryson Stott (5) hits a single during the first inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024, in Miami. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
Philadelphia Phillies' Kyle Schwarber (12) slides into second base as Miami Marlins second baseman Otto Lopez (61) is late with the tag during the first inning of a baseball game, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024, in Miami. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
of a baseball game, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024, in Miami. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
Miami Marlins' Connor Norby is congratulated by his teammates after hitting a two-run home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Philadelphia Phillies, Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024, in Miami. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
