Instead of a minimum two-year suspension, the International Association of Athletics Federations wants to increase that to four years for major infractions as a more potent deterrent since athletics and many other leading sports continue to be hit by doping scandals.

The issue is set to be one of the key points at WADA's Nov. 15-17 conference in Madrid, Spain.

IAAF secretary general Pierre Weiss said WADA would stick with the two-year rule, and the athletics federation had no plans to disregard the World Anti-Doping Code and impose its own rules on doping penalties.

"We will fail. We are not stupid. But we will respect the majority in Madrid," Weiss said after a meeting of the IAAF council, which called for the proposal of tougher penalties.

IAAF council member and London 2012 organizer Sebastian Coe did not want to concede yet.

"We still need to shove that over the line," Coe said. "It is not that easy."

Sports like cycling and soccer were already loath to accept a two-year benchmark, which was instituted in 2004. Doubling that is expected to meet with opposition, including arguments that such penalties will not stand up in civil courts.

Coe also said that opposing the two-year rule after a negative decision in Madrid would not be wise.

"Politically and practically it tells me it is not the most profitable way to go," Coe said. "But what we do need here is a strong declaration."