Sermanni slams WADA and IOC

Westfield Matildas coach Tom Sermanni slammed the IOC and WADA for failing to ban North Korea from the London Olympics, after two of their players failed drug tests at the Women’s World Cup.

Westfield Matildas coach Tom Sermanni has slammed the International Olympic Committee and World Anti-Doping Agency for failing to ban North Korea from the 2012 London Olympic Games, after two of their players failed drug tests at the Women-s World Cup.

FIFA recorded five positive tests for steroids in total at the 2011 tournament, with North Korea team officials blaming a traditional musk deer gland medicine used to treat the players after they were struck by lightning.

FIFA subsequently banned North Korea from the 2015 Women-s World Cup, but WADA and the IOC decided not to ban the Asian nation from the 2012 Games.

Speaking ahead of the Westfield Matildas- friendly against Japan, Sermanni said he was still frustrated by the decision.

“It-s no secret that we were very, very disappointed,” Sermanni said.

“FIFA took the right action by banning North Korea from the World Cup and we were amazed that the World Anti-Doping Agency and the IOC, who usually take a very strong stance on the use of drugs, decided to take no action whatsoever and allowed North Korea to enter the Olympic qualifiers and then allowed them to qualify and participate in the Olympic Games.

“When we went to the qualifiers, we thought - as did China and South Korea - that third position was going to be vital, because we felt the IOC would take action and not allow North Korea to go.

“However they decided against that, and this is the first and only tournament that we have ever taken part in Asia where there was no drug testing. Every other tournament we-ve participated in they were drug testing. So not only did they not take any action but they decided it wasn-t worthy of doing drug testing.

“So to say we were disappointed, and I still am, is an understatement.”

The Westfield Matildas finished third in their Olympic qualification group, defeating South Korea 2-1 in their final game, and failed to qualify for the London Games.