Athletics: Radcliffe Applauds Kenyan Protest

Paula Radcliffe has backed the most public display of dissent by athletes against drugs since she held up a banner proclaiming, "EPO cheats out" at the 2001 world championships in Edmonton.

The Kenyan-born runners Lornah Kiplagat and Hilda Kibet have withdrawn from the Freihofer's Run for Women in Albany, New York, on Saturday because they are refusing to compete against the Moroccan Asmae Leghzaoui who was banned for the blood-boosting drug erythropoietin (EPO).

"We as athletes do have a choice and a voice," said Radcliffe, the women's marathon world record holder. "When we feel strongly on an issue such as this we can make ourselves heard by taking stands."

The 28-year-old Leghzaoui was little known in June 2002 when she set a world record for 10 kilometres at a race in New York, breaking Radcliffe's course record in the process.

She tested positive for EPO at the 2003 world cross country championships and was suspended by the International Association of Athletics Federations for two years. She has since tried to explain her absence as being due to maternity leave. Since completing the ban in March, Leghzaoui has won five road races, including setting a world best for 12km.

"The ban is over, but basically, she is a drug cheat," said Pieter Langerhorst, Kiplagat's husband and coach. "She tried to pass [the ban] off as maternity leave. I have a problem with that."

Kiplagat, a regular visitor to British road races who in the last month has won 10km events in Glasgow and Manchester, withdrew after the race director of the Freihofer's 5km run refused to rescind Leghzaoui's invitation.

Radcliffe's own protest in 2001 was a reaction to the Russian Olga Yegorova being allowed to compete in the 5,000 metres after avoiding an EPO ban due to a technicality. "We can choose not to race certain events and can campaign for better testing," said the Bedford runner. "We put 100% into hard training to try and maximise our performances, we have every right to stand up for the right to compete against others who have done likewise and not taken shortcuts."

There is, however, currently little testing in the major races on the multi-million dollar American road racing circuit. "Road racing should come under the IAAF/Wada [World Anti-Doping Agency] umbrella and as such be covered by the same doping rules,"said Radcliffe.

"Out-of-competition EPO testing is maybe more important here than anywhere else. With the big marathons already implementing testing, as athletes we need to push for out-of-competition testing and random finish testing at all certified races, otherwise records and significant prize money should not stand.

"If this had happened, Asmae would have had to have undergone repeated out-of-competition EPO and other tests during her ban before being allowed to return. Generally we have to abide by the rules of our sport; others return after a ban so we should accept Asmae back.

"This, however, always sticks in my throat, especially with something like EPO which cannot get into the body accidentally. This is why I feel doping violations such as this should carry at least a four-year ban if not a life ban."