China's Asiad athletes face doping tests<\/p>\n
BEIJING (Agencies): China plans to subject athletes to
\nunscheduled doping tests before they compete at the next month's
\nAsian Games in Bangkok, sports officials said Thursday.<\/p>\n
Doping tests will focus particularly on \"important events like
\nswimming, athletics and cycling,\" said Li Furong, deputy head of
\na 822-member delegation that China will send to the games.<\/p>\n
\"We will definitely carry out some unscheduled tests,\" he
\nsaid. \"Various people, in various events, will be selectively
\ntested at any time.\"<\/p>\n
The announcement came just after three unnamed athletes -- one
\nswimmer and two gymnasts -- from rival South Korea tested
\npositive for banned diuretics which can be used to control
\nweight. The three were banned on Thursday from going to Bangkok.<\/p>\n
The finding prompted on Thursday fresh drug tests on all South
\nKorean gymnasts and swimmers competing in the Asiad.<\/p>\n
China was the runaway champion at the last Asian Games four
\nyears ago in Hiroshima, Japan. But its success was overshadowed
\nby 11 athletes - including seven swimmers - who failed drug
\ntests.<\/p>\n
But China has denied running a systematic doping program and
\nhas stepped up efforts in recent years to weed out and punish
\ndrug cheats.<\/p>\n
Yuan Weimin, a vice minister for sports, said doping was an
\ninternational problem that spread from the West to China in the
\n1980s.<\/p>\n
Fighting doping is a \"common, long-term unremitting struggle,\"
\nhe said at a news conference about China's participation at the
\ngames.<\/p>\n
By the end of last month, China had conducted 2,412 doping
\ntests this year, including unscheduled out-of-competition tests,
\nthat caught eight athletes who were subsequently punished, Yuan
\nsaid, without providing details.<\/p>\n
Athletes who will be going to Thailand were among those
\ntested, and some were probably tested more than once, he said.<\/p>\n
Before the games, athletes and coaches will also be called in
\nfor classes about anti-doping efforts, Li said. He said none of
\nthe eight athletes caught this year were well-known, although he
\ndid not divulge their names. Most competed in swimming and
\nathletics, he said.<\/p>\n
China, the overall gold medal leader at the past three games,
\nwill send 596 athletes to Thailand and compete in 32 of the 36
\nsports. The only sports it will not compete in are squash, rugby,
\nkarate and kabbadi, a tag-like game popular in South Asia.<\/p>\n
Yuan said China again aims to capture the most golds and lay a
\nfoundation for the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia.<\/p>\n
China won 137 - or 41 percent - of 337 gold medals at stake at
\nthe last games in 1994.<\/p>\n
Thailand<\/p>\n
Host Thailand, meanwhile, has been set the daunting target of
\n24 gold medals -- eight times higher than its haul at the last
\ngames.<\/p>\n
Minister attached to the Prime Minister's office Julin
\nLaksanawisit said the high hopes were based on realistic
\nassessments.<\/p>\n
\"The target of 24 medals is from estimation of sport
\nassociations not from the (organizing) committee,\" Julin said.<\/p>\n
At the Hiroshima Asian Games four years ago, Thai athletes won
\nthree gold medals, two from swimming and one from boxing.<\/p>\n
Thailand has upped his initial target 10 gold medals amid
\nhopes its team will reap success in the boxing and sepak takraw
\nball game.<\/p>\n
The cash-strapped government will stump up one million baht
\n(US$27,000) to reward each Thai gold medal winner.<\/p>\n
Silver medalists will get 300,000 baht and those who win
\nbronze 100,000 baht. All the rewards are to cover training
\nexpenses said Julin, who overseas the Sports Authority of
\nThailand.<\/p>\n
Thailand has set aside 324 million baht of which 271 million
\nbaht will be spent to support the team during the Games, he said.<\/p>",
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