The IAAF dismissed on Tuesday as 'sensationalist and confusing' allegations of mass doping that have rocked the world of athletics.

In its first official comment on the affair, world athletics' governing body said it "strongly rejected" allegations of thousands of suspicious blood tests from athletes, and insisted it was taking every possible measure to combat doping.

"The published allegations were sensationalist and confusing," the International Association of Athletics Federations claimed in their statement.

The allegations were made by German television channel ARD and British newspaper The Sunday Times, who obtained a database of 12,000 tests taken on 5,000 athletes.

Experts who studied the material said one third of athletics medals in endurance events at world championships and Olympics between 2001 and 2012 had given suspicious tests.
Source: AFP