Testing for stamina-boosting drug hailed

By NAOMI LARKIN and agencies

New tests for one of the most dangerous drugs in sport have been hailed as the chance to make the Sydney Olympics the cleanest games yet.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) this week approved a combined blood-urine test, developed by Australian and French laboratories, to be used to detect the banned performance-enhancing substance erythropoietin, or EPO.

The stamina booster is a favourite in sports such as cycling, long-distance running and rowing, where endurance is paramount.

EPO was suspected of being behind the deaths of several cyclists in Europe since it was introduced to treat kidney disease in the mid-1980s.

The IOC plans to conduct between 300 and 700 tests for EPO in Sydney, depending on the laboratory capabilities, starting on September 2, when competitors begin to move into the Games village.

Australian Olympic team doctor Brian Sando said the IOC's decision was the greatest advance in drug testing since anabolic steroids became detectable and meant the Games would be "very, very close" to being 100 per cent clean.

Dr Chris Milne, leader of the New Zealand Olympic health team, was last night confident the tests would work. However, their introduction was unlikely to affect New Zealand competitors as EPO use here was minimal.

"The main use would appear to be amongst elite cycling competitors riding for professional teams overseas in Europe and maybe America."

New Zealand Sports Drug Agency chief Graham Steel said it was unfortunate that the IOC had been forced to go for a combined blood-urine test, with an athlete having to fail both to be penalised.

"The only slightly disappointing caveat is that it seems they need to test positive for both. The blood test will detect use for some weeks [after it happens], whereas with urine, it's only a few days," Steel said.

IOC vice-president Jacques Rogge said the decision was a "major breakthrough" as EPO was one of the most abused drugs.

EPO stimulates the production of red blood cells, which transport oxygen around the body - a quick shot in the arm which replaces expensive training at high altitude.

The substance is produced naturally in humans but if it enters the body artificially it can be fatal, making the blood thick and gluey and breaking down the entire circulatory system.

This can cause high blood pressure and thrombosis and lead to a heart attack.

Meanwhile, Australian Customs has denied reports that staff had been issued with a "hit list" of athletes and nations to be searched for performance-enhancing drugs.

Last week, the Sydney Morning Herald reported that customs sources said high-risk Olympic athletes had been singled out for possible body searches or questioning when they arrived next week.

Customs spokesman Leon Bedington said said no such hit list had been issued to staff.

The department usually received advance passenger lists and identified who to question based on confidential risk profiles before a flight's arrival.

Profiles were made up of various factors including a passenger's ethnicity, criminal background and the aircraft's origin.

He said all Olympic athletes were subject to the same rules as "normal" passengers entering Australia and it was possible competitors would be questioned or searched.

New Zealand Olympic Committee general secretary Mike Hooper said he did not object to the country's athletes being questioned by Australian Customs.

Herald Online Olympic News