Summer Olympic federations set up anti-doping task force

LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) - Summer sports federations have set up a task force to study their anti-doping programs as Olympic officials consider turning over all drug-testing to an independent body.

The Association of Summer Olympic International Federations said the task force will be headed by archery federation president Ugur Erdener, who also chairs the IOC's medical commission.

The panel will study "the current anti-doping activities and related expenditure" of the 28 federations that take part in the Summer Games.

"The results are expected to deliver valuable input to the ongoing discussions about the potential creation of an independent body for testing," ASOIF said in a statement.

Olympic leaders agreed last month that drug-testing should be taken out of the hands of sports organizations to ensure more credibility. IOC President Thomas Bach proposed last week that testing be turned over to an independent unit within the World Anti-Doping Agency.

WADA leaders agreed to study the idea, but said they will need more funding to be able to take on the new role.

Bach also recommended that all doping sanctions be handed down by the Court of Arbitration for Sport, rather than by individual sports bodies.

The ASOIF council also set up a task force to look into the how the federations are governed. The move comes amid corruption crises that have rocked FIFA and the IAAF.

"Our governance task force will make sure that words will be followed by concrete, transparent and measurable action," ASOIF President Francesco Ricci Bitti said.