WADA 'very disturbed' over fresh doping allegations in athletics

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) president has expressed that they are 'very disturbed' over reports of fresh doping allegations in athletics that emerged in a leak of test data.

Athletics found itself engulfed in a fresh doping crisis after The Sunday Times and German broadcaster ARD/WDR said that they had obtained access to the results of 12,000 blood tests from 5,000 athletes between 2001 and 2012.

The ARD documentary, Doping - Top Secret: The Shadowy World of Athletics, alleged widespread doping in international athletics.

Sir Craig Reedie said that WADA was very disturbed by these new allegations that had been raised by ARD as it would once again shake the foundation of clean athletes worldwide, the Daily Express reported.

However, Reedie vowed that the organisation's Independent Commission would investigate the claims made by the documentary 'to ensure a level playing field for clean athletes of the world'.

The data, which belongs to the International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) but was released by a whistleblower, has been analysed by two leading anti-doping experts for the Sunday Times - scientist Robin Parisotto and exercise physiologist Michael Ashenden.

According to them, the leaked data reveals that more than a third of medals - including 55 golds - have been won in endurance events at the Olympics and world championships by athletes who have recorded 'suspicious tests'.