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IAAF congress rejects doubling eligibility period

Posted on: Wednesday, 3 August 2005, 05:48 CDT

By John Mehaffey

HELSINKI (Reuters) - The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) narowly rejected a proposal on Wednesday aimed at doubling the period of ineligibility for athletes changing nationality.

The world governing body's council decided in April that athletes must now wait for three years after gaining citizenship before they can compete for their new country.

Previously they were able to compete three years after representing their former federation.

During the opening session of the two-day biennial congress, Eritrean delegate Beyene Russom Habia told the congress rich countries were luring young athletes away from their native lands.

"This diminishes athletes to a mere commodity," he said. "This trend must be stopped."

Habib said the term of ineligibility should be six instead of three years.

However, Henry Williams from Liberia said some countries were unable to support their athletes financially.

"If they want to go to another country and develop themselves, you should be allowed," he said.

The Eritrean motion was defeated 90-80 and the congress then voted 133-42 to endorse the council decision.

"This is a good step," said IAAF general secretary Istvan Gyulai. "But it does not cover athletes who have never competed for their country. They can be lured away from their country."

Kenya has been the country which has suffered most from losing athletes to oil-rich Gulf States. The most prominent defector is world steeplechase champion and record holder Saif Saeed Shaheen who now runs for Qatar. He formerly competed for Kenya under his original name of Stephen Cherono.

"We must have rules to protect youth so athletes will not be tempted by money," said Kenyan delegate David Okeyo.

In his opening address Gyulai said the federation had conducted more dope tests last year than any other sport. He said nearly 20,000 athletes had been tested with 1.15 percent testing positive.

"This remains significantly lower than the average across sport," he said.

IAAF president Lamine Diack said around half the athletes in Helsinki would be tested with the number of tests doubled since the 2003 Paris championships.

Former Polish sprinter Irena Szewinska was elected as the third women's member on the IAAF's governing council.

Szewinska, 59, won Olympic gold medals at 200 and 400 meters and in the 4x100 meters relay. She has also been a member of the International Olympic Committee since 1998.

Source: REUTERS

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