IAAF DAILY MEDIA BRIEFING - 17 Aug - Berlin 2009

Berlin, GermanyThe third of the IAAF Daily Briefings for media was held ahead of today’s evening session at the 12th IAAF World Championships in Athletics (17).

The guests attending were IAAF Medical and Anti Doping Director Dr. Gabriel Dollé, Chairman of the IAAF Medical and Anti-Doping Commission Dr. Juan Manuel Alonso, IAAF Scientific Advisory Dr Martial Saugy and the BOC Director of Anti-Doping Dr. Anne Jakob.

The theme of today’s Daily Briefing was “Medical and Anti-Doping” and served for the IAAF and BOC to present their activities both in the medical and anti-doping fields at the 12th IAAF World Championships in Athletics in particular and in track and field in general.

Dr. Gabriel Dollé presented the up-to-date figures of anti-doping tests and mainly the pre-competition programme which started on 11 August when the official athletes hotels opened and the in competition testing which started on 15 August, the first of nine days of competitions here in Berlin.

“Pre-Competition we have already collected 450 blood samples, 350 samples were taken mainly for hematological screening with another 100 collected for HGH detection. The urine sample collection started in competition and as of today 140 samples have already been collected,” Dr. Dollé said.

Dr Juan Manuel Alonso also commented on the IAAF Medical activities which aim at guaranteeing a healthy sport and in particular the prevention of injury studies which is being conducted with all the accredited medical staff of all participating federations.

“We will receive reports on the nature of injuries which will be experienced at these championships,” he explained, “and we will conduct statistical analysis to prepare a detailed prevention plan.”

For more information on the injury prevention programme see detailed story here.

Laura Arcoleo for the IAAF

SPECTATOR FIGURES - Olympic Stadium - Day 3, 18 Aug

NOTE - No morning session was held

TOTAL - 30,496 (evening only)