体坛英语资讯：Government cooperation needed in doping fight_娱乐

体坛英语资讯：Government cooperation needed in doping fight

MORE RESEARCH

U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) chief executive Travis Tygart agreed, noting how important federal assistance had been in the BALCO doping scandal that had affected a number of sports in North America, including athletics.

"BALCO was the first case that highlighted the importance of law enforcement partnerships with sports bodies and anti-doping agencies to be most effective," Tygart said in a telephone interview from his Colorado Springs, Colorado office.

The involvement of federal governments also brought added funding, meaning anti-doping agencies could afford more research to seek out undetectable performance-enhancing drugs, Tygart said.

John Collins, a Chicago-based lawyer who represented banned 2004 Olympic 100 metres champion Justin Gatlin in his doping hearing, agreed and said government involvement was essential.

"USADA and WADA and the anti-doping world will never have an adequate budget to keep up with those who would seek to cheat... so it needs a concerted effort by something only a government can bring," Collins said in a telephone interview.

That is why Thursday's announcement that the U.S. Olympic Committee, USADA and the major U.S. professional sports had formed a research collaborative and contributed an initial $10 million for anti-doping research was so important, Davies said.

But there may be no greater deterrent than the possibility of prison time, something only governments and law enforcement agencies could bring to the fight against doping, said Jones's university coach.