March 11/06 8:15 am - Anti-doping Testing Increases for Melbourne

Posted by Editor on 03/11/06
 

Extensive Anti-doping Program for Melbourne Games
Courtesy CCES

Commonwealth Games organizers said yesterday that about one in four athletes - or about 1,000 in total - competing at the March 15-26 competition can expect to be drug tested over the next two weeks.

A record 4,500 athletes from 71 counties will compete at the Melbourne Games.

Commonwealth Games Federation president Mike Fennell said it was the toughest anti-doping program in Commonwealth Games history and on a par with, or more stringent than, the 2004 Athens Olympics when 2,000 tests were conducted on 10,500 athletes.

"Drugs in sport is a major concern," he said, announcing a new doping education program that would be made available to all Commonwealth Games Associations as they arrived at the athlete's village.

"But we realize that testing at the Games alone is not enough and the CGF has worked with WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency) and ASDA (Australian Sports Drug Agency) to implement an effective testing program leading into these Games."

Fennell said athletes would be subjected to both blood and urine drug tests, which could be conducted before and after competition.