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Adam Peaty calls on FINA to take tougher stance with drugs cheats

Adam Peaty calls on FINA to take tougher stance with drugs cheats
© Reuters
Peaty will be joined in the London team by fellow Olympic and world champions including Kyle Chalmers and Cate Campbell.

Adam Peaty has called on his sport's governing body FINA to take a tougher line on drugs cheats at the launch of a London team for the new International Swimming League on Wednesday.

The Olympic champion and world-record holder has been a vocal critic of FINA during the rancorous build-up to the new tournament, which will feature eight teams across Europe and the US.

And despite an effective truce being declared after FINA launched their own rival event and back-tracked on threats to ban swimmers who competed in ISL events, Peaty says the political issues afflicting the sport are far from over.

Adam Peaty
Adam Peaty has launched a new International Swimming League team in London (Jane Barlow/PA)

Peaty told Press Association Sport: "They (FINA) are still not putting the hammer down hard enough when it comes to anti-doping.

"There are still people involved who dope and cheat and it's not enough to just keep saying it's all right because you've got your medal five years later – it's about waking up to that idea.

"There are still a few inconsistencies and a few matters to erase. Just because we've been listened to once, it doesn't mean there's not going to be more issues and it's about the opinions of the athletes being valued more."

Adam Peaty
Adam Peaty will target more world gold in South Korea this year (Jane Barlow/PA)

Peaty is a vocal advocate for the ISL, maintaining it is the best way for top athletes to realise both their physical and financial potential, as well as ushering in a new, high-profile era which will encourage future generations to take up the sport.

The 24-year-old will be joined in the London team by fellow Olympic and world champions including Kyle Chalmers and Cate Campbell. The London leg will take place in November with the Series final scheduled for Las Vegas one month later.

Peaty added: "I don't think it is possible to put a limit on what the ISL could do for the sport. It's one of the biggest sports at the Olympics every four years and now we are trying to re-create that ever single year.

"For me the sport has always been about the racing and this gives far more opportunities for the big names to race against each other and so many more people to be able to watch it on TV.

"When I was younger I didn't have the chance to have so many role models outside of the Olympic years, so I'm glad that this is securing that possibility for future generations."

Peaty will combine his ISL duties with his major goals of more world and Olympic success within the next 18 months, and believes the promise of more regular elite competition will help him stretch his boundaries – including shattering the 57-second barrier for the 100m breast-stroke.

Peaty, who lowered his own world record to 57.10 at the European Championships in Glasgow last year, added: "This is going to make a lot of athletes more motivated because it shakes up the traditional swimming calendar and I'm sure as a result you will see a lot of people swimming faster.

"My own goals are to push my PBs and obviously reach 56. I know I can swim so much faster and I want to set a marker that no-one is going to be able to reach."


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