Русская версияOver 4,000 doping tests have been carried out so far as part of the
anti-doping program at the Beijing Games, the International Olympic
Committee (IOC) said Wednesday, Aug.
20.
"We are now at a total of 4,133 tests of which 3,292 are urine and
848 are blood tests," IOC communications director Giselle Davies
told reporters. "We'll get to some 4,500 by the end of the Games,
the highest number of testing done in any Olympic Games as part of
our efforts in the fight against doping."
The figure compares with 3,500 at the Athens Games four years ago
and 2,800 at the 2000 Sydney Games.
There have been a handful of positive tests so far, compared with a
total 26 four years ago. Only one medal winner --
shooter Jong-Su Kim from North Korea -- has been stripped
of his prize.
Heptathlon silver medallist Lyudmila Blonska, however, is under
doping investigation at the Beijing Games, Olympic sources told the
dpa news agency on Wednesday. It was not known immediately for
which substance the 29-year-old Ukrainian tested positive. If the
positive test is confirmed she faces a life ban as a second-time
offender.
Ahead of the Games, IOC President Jacques Rogge said he expected 30
to 40 positive tests, based on results from previous Olympics. But
Davies insisted this year's low numbers were an indication that
doping deterrents were effective.
Natural strength
German weightlifter Matthias Steiner, who won his first Olympic
gold medal this week, said he'd been tested 10 times this year
already and is a strong supporter of anti-doping efforts.
"I certainly believe it's a positive development, the fact that
doping systems work and are effective," the heavy-weight said
Tuesday, referring to the increased testing.
Performance-enhancing substances are particularly common in certain
sports, including weightlifting, track and field, and cycling.
Bulgaria was forced to withdraw its weightlifting team from the
Games in Beijing after several of its members returned positive
doping tests.
Bildunterschrift:
Steiner dedicated his gold medal to his late wife who was killed
in a car accident in 2007
(Deutsche Welle)
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