Olympics: Asthma vetting steps up

By JULIE ASH

New Zealand athletes who suffer from asthma will have to undergo medical tests to prove they need medication if they want to compete in Olympic Games.

In the International Olympic Committee's fight against performance-enhancing drugs, it has ordered tighter restrictions on asthmatics after the Sydney Games revealed that many athletes were using asthma medication.

The new IOC rules state that athletes who need an inhaled beta 2 agonist, such as the commonly used Ventolin inhaler, to treat asthma or exercise-induced bronchial constriction, must undergo clinical and laboratory tests to justify their treatment.

NZ Sports Drug Agency executive director Graeme Steel said that in the past athletes only needed a letter from their doctor verifying they needed the medication.

He said Ventolin opened up the airways but could also have a stimulant effect.

National Olympic Committee secretary-general Barry Maister supported the changes.

"Asthma represents a major problem. At the Sydney Olympics there was a huge number of asthmatics, which I think set the alarm bells ringing.

"Although the tests may be an invasion of privacy, most of the athletes value it and know if they are straight they have no problem."