19 Nov 2009

Nick Willis backs whereabouts rule

11:43 am on 19 November 2009

The New Zealand track star Nick Willis says the confirmation that Bahrain's Rashid Ramzi to be stripped of his Olympic 1500 metres gold medal for a doping offence is a bitter-sweet day for the sport.

The decision clears the way for Willis's bronze medal to be upgraded to silver behind the Kenyan Asbel Kipruto Kiprop, but Willis says it's no great cause for celebration.

Willis hope's it'll be deterrent and says he's a huge supporter of three strike rule requirings athletes to say where they'be for an hour every day

He simply lists his home address and 6 o'clock in the morning and when he's away all it takes is a quick email.

Willis says athletes who chose to compete at the highest level have to accept the system because testing at home when people are training is a more effective way of catching cheats than doing it at track meets.