London 2012 hopefuls warned over drug-taking
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Lo?ndon 2012 hopefuls have been warned sophisticated testing will leave them with “nowhere to hide” if they use performing-enhancing drugs.
The Beijing Olympics were in part blighted by a number of high-profile doping cases which saw two champions stripped of their medals after testing positive for banned substances.
The London Organising Committee are determined that next year’s Olympic Games in London will not suffer the same fate and have commissioned a rigorous testing procedure.
Minister for Sport Hugh Robertson revealed that there would be around 5,000 blood and urine tests carried out at the Olympics, 1,000 more than took place in China three years ago, while state-of-the-art laboratories will also be set up in the hope of catching drug cheats.
He said that was proof that organisers are taking the matter seriously, and warned any athlete thinking of doping not to bother.
“We do not want to see our Olympics scarred by corruption and cheating in the sport,” Robertson told the Tackling Doping in Sport conference at Twickenham.
“I want to make sure that they have absolutely nowhere to hide as the integrity of sport is absolutely paramount.”
