Doping at the Paris 2024 Olympics: a medal-winning athlete and his coach targeted by a search in the Olympic village

L’Algérien Djamel Sedjati est visé par une enquête. MAXPPP – HUGO PHILPOTT

Le médaillé de bronze algérien sur 800 mètres, Djamel Sedjati, et son entraîneur Amar Benida sont visés par une enquête, selon le journal L’Equipe.

Anti-doping police officers conducted searches at the Olympic village on Thursday as part of an investigation targeting Algerian athletics coach Amar Benida and 800-meter bronze medalist Djamel Sedjati, sources close to the case said on Saturday, confirming information from the French daily L'Équipe.

According to one of these sources close to the case, it was above all the coach Amar Benida who was in the investigators' sights. These searches were carried out by the gendarmes of the Central Office for the Fight against Attacks on the Environment and Public Health (OCLAESP), also responsible for doping cases.

Djamel Sedjati finished third in the Olympic 800m final on Saturday evening at the Stade de France. “Nothing (important) happened. “These are things that athletes can face,” he said at a press conference after the final.

In a press release, the Algerian Olympic Committee expressed its deep indignation at these malicious attempts to tarnish the image of one of its champions.

“All “Legal measures were immediately taken to protect our champion,” he added. “We reaffirm our full support for champion Djamel Sedjati and all our athletes who represent Algeria on the international stage with honor and pride,” the Olympic committee continued.