Doping abuse in German athletics: Within a few weeks, the Benfares sisters were provisionally suspended. Jörg Bügner, sports director of the German Athletics Association (DLV), speaks in the Sportschau interview about the investigations and the fight against doping.
A few days ago, the German Athletics Association (DLV) received news that those responsible certainly didn’t like. The news came from the National Anti Doping Agency (NADA), which informed the DLV that the middle distance athlete Sofia Benfares, 19, had tested positive for the blood doping drug EPO. That was on Thursday (February 29, 2024).
Benfares has been temporarily suspended and NADA is investigating. This was not good news for the DLV – also because before Sofia Benfares, who won bronze over 3000 meters at the U20 European Championships in 2023, her sister Sara had already tested positive for EPO and testosterone.
DLV sports director Bügner: “We are very affected”
On Saturday (March 2nd, 2024), DLV sports director Jörg Bügner gave an interview to the Sportschau about the performance at the World Indoor Championships in Glasgow, Scotland. But it was also about the Benfares case. “We are very affected”said Bügner. His association stands for the fight against doping, for one “clean and fair sport”.
The case against Sofia Benfares is ongoing, said Bügner. One for which the DLV is not responsible, but NADA. He has great confidence in the investigative skills of the people there. “We would do well to leave the procedure with NADA.”