Athletes at the Beijing Olympics will be subject to no-advance notice doping controls at any time and any place, the IOC said Thursday. The International Olympic Committee issued its anti-doping rules for the Aug. 8-24 games, which will include 4,500 tests, up from 3,600 in Athens four years ago. The drug-testing program, which will start with the opening of the athletes village July 27, will include about 700-800 urine tests for EPO and 900 blood tests. "The tougher rules serve as a clear demonstration of the IOC's commitment to ensuring that athletes play fair," the IOC said. Athletes can be notified and tested more than once on the same day. Any athlete missing two tests during the games, or one during the Olympics and two others in the previous 18 months, will be considered guilty of a doping violation and face possible expulsion from the games. National Olympic committees must notify the IOC of the whereabouts of athletes during the period of the games so they can be found for testing. |