The IAAF released a 38-page document it had sent to the UK Parliament’s Culture Media and Sport Select Committee’s inquiry into "Blood Doping in Athletics", which President Sebastian Coe is due to appear before on Wednesday (December 2).

The inquiry was launched following claims by German television broadcaster ARD and The Sunday Times that they obtained the results of 12,000 blood tests from 5,000 athletes taken between 2001 and 2012, many of which were suspicious but were not investigated by the IAAF.

But the IAAF claimed they were not "complacent about doping", that they are a "pioneer" in the fight against blood doping, and that "any competent scientist" would immediately disregard many of the "suspicious" samples. 

"The IAAF has released a statement that comprises 25 pages of hair-splitting, plus 13 pages of appendices," responded Ashenden, who assisted the Sunday Times with their findings.

"The irony of a disgraced federation casting aspersions is not lost on me.

"But their deliberately bloated document, no doubt intended to muddy the waters, cannot go unanswered."

Earlier this month, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Independent Commission accused Russia of widespread "state-supported" doping in athletics, as well as the destruction of positive drug test samples and corruption.

Russia has since accepted a suspension from the IAAF with the All-Russia Athletics Federation (ARAF) informing the IAAF's Council, which met in Monte Carlo on Thursday (November 26), that they would not request a hearing, as was their constitutional right.

Meanwhile, Coe’s predecessor Lamine Diack is currently under investigation after allegedly accepting cash to cover up positive doping cases involving Russian athletes. 

"It is not just The Sunday Times or German broadcaster ARD questioning whether the IAAF 'idly sat by and let this happen'," said Ashenden.

"The Independent Commission (IC) has identified corruption and bribery practices at the highest levels of international athletics, currently under investigation by Interpol.

"A complex conspiracy involving the IAAF.

"Evidence of breaches of processes and rules by IAAF officials.

"The IC said that the IAAF was inexplicably lax in following up suspicious blood profiles.

"I witnessed symptoms of that disgraceful behaviour when I inspected a database drenched with suspect blood profiles.

"I made comment accordingly.

"However it was not until the IC released its report that I had some insight as to 'why', and 'how', suspect profiles had not been actioned."

Responding to the IAAF's claims that it did all it could within the rules, Ashenden added: "Faced with the life threatening blood values which they knew existed amongst their athletes, I say they should have tried to push the legal envelope.

"I have argued previously that there is a place for prudence when launching legal actions based on suspicious blood results.

"But the blood values were so extreme, over such an extended period, that they should have tried to do something, anything.

"The IAAF were legally timid when they should have been morally strong."

Robin Parisotto, who worked with Ashenden in analysing the leaked data, also issued a statement in response to the IAAF’s document.

"I ask the IAAF to perhaps stop shooting the messenger(s) and begin addressing the glaringly obvious problem of not only blood doping in athletics (made evident in the WADA IC first report) but also the potential effects of blood doping on the health of their constituency," he said.

"As a final statement, perhaps the IAAF should take a 'cold shower' and refrain from taking pot-shots until the second WADA IC investigation is over."

The second part of the Independent Commission's report had been scheduled for publication before the end of the year but chairman Richard Pound revealed earlier this week it will now not be aired until next year.

Pound has said there will be a "wow factor" when the next part about the depth of corruption within the IAAF is released.



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