Lord Coe to double IAAF anti-doping budget

Seb Coe has come underfire recently. Credit: PA

The International Association of Athletics Federations president Sebastian Coe has pledged to double the organisation's anti-doping budget.

As part of Coe's plans the top 20 athletes in each discipline will be tested, as opposed to the current system where only ten undergo anti-doping procedures.

Coe also backed the decision to award the 2021 World Athletics Championships to American town Eugene which has strong links to sports manufacturer Nike, claiming on BBC's Today programme it was best way to take athletics to the USA.

Former runner Coe left his ambassadorial role at Nike last month after heavy criticism of his links to the company.

French prosecutors are investigating the award of the games to Eugene unopposed during the tenure of Coe's predecessor Lamine Diack.

"Eugene was not put forward by the IAAF, it was put forward by US track and field and it won by 23 to 25 votes, as my council decided this was the best opportunity to get the athletics championships in United States, and every sport falling over themselves to get themselves into the largest sports market in the world," Lord Coe said.

Russian athletes are all currently banned from competition due to the failings of their anti-doping system and Coe says no individuals from the country will be allowed to compete until their whole system has been cleared to operate once more.

“If we don’t get the change we want, then I’m afraid the clean athletes are going to have to sit this out,” Coe explained.