August 04, 2007	Saturday	Rajab 19, 1428

Monaco, Aug 3: The world athletics championships to be held this month in Osaka, Japan from Aug 25-Sept 2 will feature the sport’s most rigorous anti-doping programme to date. The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) said on Friday that more than 1,000 doping tests would be taken before and during the championships. There were 885 tests made in Helsinki, Finland, in 2005.

“The IAAF is determined to ensure that these championships highlight our ongoing and aggressive commitment to the war on doping,” IAAF President Lamine Diack said.

“We know that an overwhelming majority of our athletes compete fairly, so it is for their sake that we must do all we can to chase down and sanction those who attempt to cheat and lie through the use of doping practices.”

The IAAF said it had already conducted more than 1,000 surprise out-of-competition tests on athletes this year. An athlete outreach programme will also be in operation in Osaka after its successful debut in Helsinki.—AP