ANKARA, Turkey — In the latest scandal affecting Turkish track and field during Istanbul's bid to host the 2020 Olympics, 31 athletes have been suspended for two years each for doping violations.
The Turkish Athletics Federation announced the sanctions Monday, including that of hammer thrower Esref Apak, the 2004 Olympic silver medalist. His case had been announced in June.
The bans follow five days after the IAAF confirmed that nine Turkish athletes, including two teenagers, got two-year bans for using anabolic steroids.
It could get worse for the sport in Turkey when TAF completes investigations into alleged doping by Asli Cakir Alptekin, the women's 1,500-meter champion at the 2012 Olympics, and two other female team members in London last year.
"The files of Asli Cakir Alptekin, Nevin Yanit and Pinar Saka were not assessed because the process of investigation following their defense statements is continuing," the federation said Monday in a statement published on its website.
Turkey's doping problems threaten to affect Istanbul's campaign against 2020 Olympic bid rivals Madrid and Tokyo. International Olympic Committee members will choose a winner on Sept. 7.
Still, Turkey's most senior Olympic official said Monday's sanctions were "a clear signal" of how seriously it is responding.
"This work is part of a concerted, and much more aggressive, anti-doping policy in Turkey that has been in place for over six months," Turkish Olympic Committee president Ugur Erdener, an IOC member, said in a statement.
