Olympics: Dope-testers sign up 19 sports

LAUSANNE - The World Anti-Doping Agency has held more than 400 out-of-competition drug tests in the past month and plans 400 more in the coming days as it seeks to meet its target of more than 2000 controls before the Sydney Olympic Games.

Wada said yesterday that it had signed agreements with 19 Olympic summer sports federations to allow out-of-competition testing and was in negotiation with the nine others.

"What is particularly gratifying is that some international federations have amended their policies so quickly to allow out-of-competition testing for the first time," Wada chairman Richard Pound said. "This is a true accomplishment for the Olympic movement."

Wada was created last year to coordinate a worldwide testing campaign for banned performance-enhancing drugs.

In addition to the more than 400 out-of-competition tests so far conducted, Wada wants to carry out 400 more in the next 10 days. It aims for a total of 2500 tests by the end of the year, including around 2150 before the start of the Sydney Games on September 15.

The 19 Olympic sports to sign agreements on out-of-competition tests are boxing, equestrian, basketball, canoeing, field hockey, wrestling, swimming, rowing, archery, track and field, badminton, judo, sailing, softball, shooting, table tennis, triathlon, cycling and taekwondo.

Wada said it had appointed the Drug-Free Sport Consortium to conduct the tests. The consortium comprises three agencies - the Australian Sport Drug Agency, the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport and the Norwegian Confederation of Sports.

Wada's secretary-general, Harry Syvasalmi, was appointed chairman of a panel of observers set up to monitor the Games in Sydney.

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