LONDON -- For years, athletes from the United States have quietly wondered how they might have fared if they had been competing on a level playing field. This year, they may have found out.
Final figures from the medals standings at the world championships that wrapped up Sunday offered evidence that track and field's attempt to crack down on a global doping crisis could be making a direct impact on the results.
Exhibit A: The United States won 30 medals, while athletes from four countries that have been under the doping microscope -- Kenya (11), Russia (6), Ethiopia (5) and Jamaica (4) -- combined for 26.
Two years ago, the results looked like this: United States 17, Kenya 16, Jamaica 12, Ethiopia 8 and Russia 4.
Four years ago -- with Russia competing on home turf and in the midst of what investigators have determined was a state-sponsored doping conspiracy -- the count was United States 26, Russia 14, Kenya 12, and Jamaica and Ethiopia 10 each.
"Maybe the only good byproduct of the past corruption and scandal is that it forces the sport to make sure it never happens again," said Travis Tygart, the CEO of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency. "Ultimately, that's good for clean athletes."
Among the changes that have taken place over the past two years:
• The suspension of the Russian track federation. Only 19 Russians competed at this year's worlds, 100 fewer than were present in Moscow in 2013.
• Five countries, including distance-running powerhouses Kenya and Ethiopia, have been placed on a doping watch list -- meaning they are being closely watched because of evidence that has surfaced about less-than-robust anti-doping procedures in those countries. Jamaica also has been under increased scrutiny, which has led to the stripping of a 2008 Olympic relay medal because of doping by one of Usain Bolt's teammates.
• The International Association of Athletics Federations has established an independent testing authority that takes responsibilities for conducting the anti-doping program out of its hands. A handful of former IAAF leaders are under investigation for their roles in doping cover-ups and related corruption.
"We have to be open about it," IAAF President Sebastian Coe said. "There's been a disproportionate amount of damage to the sport produced by a relatively small number of nations, and we just have to get on top of that."
As a sign of the IAAF's willingness to tackle the issue head-on, the meet began with the reallocation of medals from 11 races dating to 2007.
Of course, it's a delicate proposition to attribute all these numbers to doping, or to assume all the problems are fixed. From Marion Jones to Tim Montgomery to Tyson Gay, Americans have a history of doping positives, reflected most starkly during this meet by the fans' reaction to Justin Gatlin. The 100-meter champion was roundly booed at every turn because of his doping history -- he's served two bans.
"I thought in 2012, I was in a cleaner race, and it turns out that Olympic final was probably one of the dirtiest in history," said American middle-distance runner Shannon Rowbury, who finished out of the medals in a race in which no fewer than five of the 1,500-meter finalists have been investigated for doping violations.
Eleven of this year's 14 winning sprint times, including relays and hurdles, were slower than in 2013, which was the last world championships held the year after the Olympics. But a portion of that could be attributed to Bolt's rough week; he won bronze in the 100 meters and pulled up lame in the 400 relay with an injured left hamstring.
The champion took umbrage to the linking of slow times and doping, calling it "disrespectful."
"There's something called injury and sometimes, everything doesn't go as smoothly as you want," Bolt said. "We came out and put on a good show for everyone."
Sports on 08/15/2017