26 August 2004	Thursday	09 Rajab 1425

ATHENS, Aug 25: International Olympic Committee (IOC) is moving in right direction for achieving its target of conducting 25 percent more dope test in the ongoing Athens Olympics than of Sydney Olympics.

" We are gradually heading to our goal which is to test more athletes than of Sydney. Our aim is to stand in the way of cheat athletes. We in collaboration with the Athens Organizing Committee (ATHOC) would examine over three thousands doping tests during the Games, said Patrick Schamasch, the IOC Medical Director on Wednesday.

He said IOC was more vigilant and determined to curb the use of stamina and performance drugs during all types of competition and conducting more and more tests aim at brining cheat athletes to the task. Four years ago at Sydney Games, 11 athletes, including six medallists were tested positive for taking stamina enhancing drugs, he said.

The IOC official said 385 pre-competition tests will be carried out by the IOC and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), including targeted tests of some athletes who may not have been tested by their National Olympic Committees.

Schamasch said WADA officials have been given a free hand and they will play an independent observer role at the Olympics. Doping control system (DCS) will be on the look-out for banned practice such as blood transfusions, urine spiking and tampering with samples ", he said.

He disclosed that testing for the designer steroid tetrahydrogestrinone (THG) is being adopted in Athens and also confirmed the reports to conduct tests to detect the use of Human Growth Hormone (HGH) which was added to the IOCs banned list in 1989.

HGH's use, which stimulates the growth of muscles and bones, is believed to be the one of the most abused performance enhancing drugs in sports. -APP