Kiwi to lead fight against the drug cheats at Athens

By TERRY MADDAFORD

The drug cheats will be up against it in Athens with the head of the New Zealand Sports Drug Agency, Graeme Steel, among those leading the charge.

Up to 1000 people will be involved in the drug-testing programme and Steel will work in an eight-strong international team which has been established by the World Anti Doping Agency (Wada) to operate independently in overseeing the programme.

"We will be there to ensure everything is done properly," said Steel. "We will be here, there and everywhere."

Part of Steel's brief will be to ensure there will be no repeat of the attempted cover up of the Ben Johnson affair in Seoul in 1988.

There will be 3500-4000 tests done in Athens - a 50 per cent increase on the number in Sydney four years ago.

Testing will be carried out by the Athens organising committee in association with the International Olympic Committee.

Four New Zealanders are among the huge contingent of volunteers involved in the testing programme.

Apart from meals, they must pay all their own travel and accommodation costs.

There will be a 24-hour turnaround for tests taken in Athens. Any positive results must be made public within 24 hours.

Testing for human growth hormone or EPO will need an additional 12 hours with Steel guessing the tests for the former will be aimed at the power events and the latter in endurance events.