"You'll get caught", Coe warns cheats during coronavirus pandemic

World Athletics President Sebastian Coe has warned any athletes tempted to use doping substances during coronavirus pandemic, when drugs testing is proving more difficult, that y "will get caught". "Clearly, because of lockdown, curfews and international travel restrictions, (drugs) testing has been more difficult," Coe, 63, told German broadcaster Deutsche Welle. "But body should run away with idea that re is testing taking place at all. It is. "I want to send a very clear mess to athletes: do t sit re thinking that this is a test-free zone. It isn't. "If you choose to step outside integrity of our sport, you will get caught." 

Coe warns cheats during coronavirus

2020 athletics calender has been decimated by coronavirus with Tokyo Olympics, season's highlight, postponed until 2021. On Thursday, European athletics championships, scheduled to be held in Paris this August, was cancelled. So far eight major athletics meets have been cancelled or postponed this season with revised dates yet anunced.

Coe said global pandemic will have financial consequences for athletes and hopes competitions can still take place in 2020.

"It's t just about t having competitions - (athletes) have ir own personal contracts and sponsorships," said former middle-distance runner.

"re are broadcast issues as well - if re are competitions, re's prize money, so first objective is to try and get competitions" going again.

"I am genuinely hoping that we can get athletes back into training later this year.

"Many (athletes) have maintained good conditioning, training in ir houses, on balconies, in hotel corridors, in streets.

"Of course, t being able to run outside your front door is a big challenge.

"We want to get m back into competition as quickly as we can, but as safely as we can do it."

Im credits: AP