Factbox - IAAF response to latest doping allegations

(Reuters) - A look at the developments in doping allegations involving athletics and the response of the sport's world governing International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF): * Athletics ruling body rejects as "sensationalist and confusing" allegations it failed to take sufficient action against athletes with highly suspicious tests, saying those allegations were "simply false". * IAAF says it has conducted more than 19,000 blood screening tests since 2001, including 8,000 from 2001 to 2009, calling it the most comprehensive and universal blood testing programme implemented among sports federations and national anti-doping agencies. * The response follows allegations by German broadcaster ARD/WDR and Britain's Sunday Times newspaper at the weekend which raise doubts about anti-doping efforts and come less than three weeks ahead of the IAAF's premier event, the Aug. 22-30 world championships in Beijing, and the election of a new president to lead the governing body. * Although the reports spark calls for a thorough and aggressive review, the IAAF says allegations implying that cheating was rampant in athletics were based on "guesswork" not facts. * It also says the data reviewed by two anti-doping experts for the two news organisations is now outdated. "They sought to draw conclusions on the prevalence of blood doping in athletics today based on suspicious blood values that were collected up to 14 years ago," the governing body says. * Suspicion alone does not equal proof of doping, IAAF says, noting that even ADR/WDR and The Sunday Times admit that their evaluation of the data did not prove doping. In response, the British newspaper said on Tuesday, "The Sunday Times based this story of immense public interest on an impeccable source, thoroughly researched, precisely conveyed and responsibly communicated. We did not draw any sweeping conclusions going beyond the evidence we obtained." ARD officials could not reached for an immediate response. * The IAAF, saying it has spent more than $2 million (£1.28 million) in each of the last two years on anti-doping efforts, notes it has conducted 11,000 blood samples for Athlete Biological Passport (ABP) purposes. More than 150 of those profiles have been referred for further study and since 2011, 63 doping cases have been pursued based on the ABP profiles. Of those, 39 athletes have already received a sanction, 24 are under proceedings and new proceedings will be initiated shortly. Additionally, 15 cases have been appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) because the athlete had either been exonerated by his national federation or national anti-doping agency. * ARD and The Sunday Times published their reports after the two anti-doping experts reviewed a large database maintained by IAAF that was leaked. Blood tests of athletes who won medals in endurance events at the Olympics and world championships between 2001 and 2012 were reviewed, ADR/WDR and The Sunday Times said. * The IAAF says it believes the database was obtained illegally and it will pursue legal means to expose the circumstances of the disclosure. * More than 800 athletes -- one in seven in the files -- had blood-test results described by one of the anti-doping experts quoted by The Sunday Times as "highly suggestive of doping or at the very least abnormal". * But the IAAF says it is important to note a large proportion of these blood samples were collected before the implementation of the Athlete Biological Passport and cannot be used as proof of doping. "Any reporting or insinuation of such is wholly irresponsible on behalf of these media outlets and we refute outright any allegation that the IAAF did not appropriately follow up suspicious profiles," the governing body says. * Credentials of the two experts also were questioned by the IAAF, saying since they never worked for the governing body they were "in no position to make any comment regarding what the IAAF has done or not done" in the implementation of its testing programme". * The reports were not a "scoop", the IAAF says, pointing out it had publicly published in 2011 a review of its blood profiles. But the governing body says countries mentioned in the reports as having among the highest percentage of abnormal samples "are the very same countries who currently lack a history of implementing a strong, robust and (WADA) Code compliant national anti-doping programme backed with government support." * Russia accounted for the most abnormal tests, with 415, according to the reports. Russian coach Vladimir Kazarin dismissed the latest allegations as "unimaginable nonsense". However, Russia's anti-doping body promised it would investigate the allegations. (Compiled by Gene Cherry in Raleigh, North Carolina; editing by Ken Ferris)