The New York Times yesterday published a story alleging that officials concealed the Beijing 2008 gold medallist's use of the banned blood-boosting substance Erythropoietin (EPO) and made no effort to prevent him from competing in last summer's Olympics.

The American daily newspaper said the suggestion of the IAAF's prior knowledge had come from the Italian prosecutors' currently investigating the case.

Authorities have also raided the offices of the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) and the Italian Athletics Federation (FIDAL) as part of the probe into the suspected cover-up, which allegedly involves coaches and doctors.


"The IAAF is aware of and shocked by the accusations made against it in [the] New York Times concerning the ongoing investigation in Italy regarding the case of the sanctioned Italian race walker Alex Schwazer," athletics' world governing body said in a statement.

"The IAAF categorically refutes these claims in the strongest possible terms.

"The case outlined involved abnormal blood results with respect to an Athlete's Biological Passport and was handled in strict accordance with IAAF rules and those of WADA.

"As the investigation is ongoing, the IAAF will make no further comment at this time."

Schwazer's failed World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) drugs test subsequently saw him removed from the Italian Olympic team and banned for three and a half years - he later announced his retirement, which he described as the "biggest blow of my life".

An emotional Schwazer, who won the gold in Beijing by stripping more than a minute off a 20-year-old Olympic record set by Vyacheslav Ivanenko of the former Soviet Union, accepted all responsibility following the revelation of his drug use in August last year.


"I made a mistake, my career is ended here," he admitted.

"I did it all myself and on my own head so I assume all the responsibility for what has happened."

Schwazer suggested he had wanted to get caught and claimed he could have tried to skip the July 30 doping test knowing he had done a final injection the previous day, but did not.

This latest news draws alarming parallels to the International Cycling Union (UCI)/Lance Armstrong cover-up allegations, which have rocked the world of cycling to the core.

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