Moses blames selfish officials for many of the problems

Moses was responding to comments from former drugs supplier Victor Conte on the BBC that "the use of performance enhancing substances is rampant".

Moses said: "There is probably a lot of truth in what he's saying.

"It's very depressing, unfortunate and unfair that, two weeks after the event, someone who won a medal will be banned," he told BBC Radio 5live.

The World Championships begin in Japan this weekend.

Athletics governing body the IAAF on Thursday asked the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) to adopt stronger penalties for doping, including a doubling of the ban for serious first-time violations to four years.

"We remain convinced that strong penalties are an important cornerstone of an effective anti-doping campaign in general, and in athletics in particular," the IAAF Congress said in a statement.

And IOC President Jacques Rogge said serious doping offenders would be banned from next year's Olympics in Beijing, even if their regular suspension had already ended.

Rogge said: "Every athlete who is penalised for more than six months - which would automatically be the case for anabolic steroids, blood transfusions and EPO - could not participate in the next Games."

I still believe there are enormous loopholes you can drive a freight train through Victor Conte

Wada is reviewing its anti-doping code and will adopt a revised one in November but it is thought unlikely it will approve the changes sought by the IAAF.

Moses, who went undefeated over nine years in the 400m hurdles, questioned the effectiveness of the IAAF's calls and blamed selfish officials for the problems.

"It's very well-timed, right before the World Championships, but will the momentum be there after the World Championships are over?" said the 1976 and 1984 Olympic gold medal winner.

"The problem is the people in leadership in the IAAF who have self-interest and when it comes to the time to take a hard line it never happens."

Conte, who served a four-month jail sentence for his role in giving athletes performance-enhancing drugs, made his claims in an interview with the BBC's Rob Bonnet.

"I don't believe that the playing field they will compete on in Osaka will be any different than any other previous world championship," he said.

"It's better now than it was a few years ago but I still believe there are enormous loopholes you can drive a freight train through."

"I believe the testing is still very easy to beat."