Jessica Ennis-Hill says the TUE system could be abused
By Charlotte Bates
Last Updated: 29/09/16 5:07pm
Olympic and two-time world heptathlon champion Jessica Ennis-Hill says the Therapeutic Use Exemptions (TUEs) is an important part to sport, but believes there are still questions about the system.
A Russian hacking organisation named Fancy Bears recently leaked TUE records of athletes, including Chris Froome and Sir Bradley Wiggins, obtained from a World Anti-Doping Agency database.
Ennis-Hill's coach Toni Minichiello has warned that the current set up could be exploited and the 30-year-old agrees it's a system that needs to be addressed.
"Anything is open to abuse unfortunately," the London Olympic Gold and Rio silver medallist said. "But the TUEs is a legitimate and important part to our sport.
"As athletes we are also humans and there are occasions where certain athletes may need a TUE and it's completely legitimate.
"But there are obviously people who will abuse a system like that as well. It is just important to make sure that system is protected and the athletes are protected."
Despite calls for a more transparent system, WADA is not convinced that publishing TUEs is fair or sensible as it is based on "partial, confidential medical information".
Although Ennis-Hill believes athletes have a right to have their personal medical information kept private, she suggests a different approach is needed in some circumstances.
"It's difficult because your medical data is personal to you and should be kept private, but in certain situations with certain TUEs it does need to be made public if there is something that hasn't been done in the correct way," said the Olympian.
"It's a system and a situation that needs to be looked at."
After returning from the Rio Olympics with heptathlon silver, narrowly loosing out to 21-year-old Nafissatou Thiam, Ennis-Hill admits she faces a big decision over her future in sport.
"It's such a big decision, being active and athletics has been such a huge part of my life for so long and to decide to end that is a huge decision," Ennis-Hill added.
"But equally, I've had some amazing years in sport and achieved some great things so it's a really tough one. It's a tough one and a point that everyone has to face in their career as a sportsman or sportswoman."
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