Anti-doping agency chief pledges crackdown on drug cheats

WORLD Anti-Doping Agency boss Dick Pound yesterday promised doping controls at the Athens Olympics to be tighter and more far-reaching than ever before amid continuing fears of a new wave of undetectable ‘designer’ drugs.

The WADA president says his organisation’s “full menu” of substances will be used by the International Olympic Committee in testing at the Games, with the number of tests also increasing by 25% from the Sydney figures four years ago.

The doping issue is as prominent as ever in the build up to Athens, with much debate centred around the latest apparent drug of choice HGH, or human growth hormone.

Having seemingly created adequate tests to uncover the blood boosting drug EPO - which British cyclist David Millar admitted taking leading to him being banned for two years - and THG, HGH it appears is the next nut to crack.

“We have a test for that (HGH),” revealed Pound, speaking at WADA’s pre-Games press conference.

“The parameters of that test we are keeping to ourselves for the moment because I see no advantage of giving anyone who is cheating any indication about the likelihood of the reach-back period.

“I’d rather see them faced with a very unpleasant surprise if they try it here.

“If there are people here using it, we should be able to find them.”

As well as Millar’s high profile case, the American BALCO scandal has rocked the world of sport in recent months.

Since it was discovered that the US laboratory was responsible for THG, an astonishing total of 18 American athletes have tested positive for drugs ranging from the previously undetectable THG, to EPO and steroids.

Women’s 100m world champion Torri Edwards, who is set to appeal a two-year ban for testing positive for nikethamide, is just one of a long line of big name American athletes to have given positive tests in the build up to the Olympics.

Meanwhile in Athens, Kenyan boxer David Munyasia has already become the first athlete to fail a drugs test in the Greek capital before the Games has even started.

Despite the pessimism, Pound is confident the doping controls and testing process at the Olympics will root out any athletes determined to add the term ‘drug-assisted’ as the unofficial fourth wheel in the Olympic motto of ‘Faster, higher, stronger’

“The menu that will be used for testing in Athens will be the full menu,” he said.

“EPO, THG, growth hormones and designer steroids, everything and anything we know of will be on the menu. It’s very extensive.