Local athletes drug tested for clean SEA Games square

JAKARTA (JP): Several members of the 19th SEA Games squad have been drug tested to ensure a clean team at the Games from Oct. 11 to Oct. 19.

Dr. Dangsina Moeloek of the Games medical team told Antara Thursday that many national athletes had adequate knowledge of doping.

"We don't want some of their urine samples to test positive at the Games," she said.

Several weightlifters gave urine samples last week for testing by a laboratory in Rawasari, East Jakarta. The samples are still being processed.

Dangsina said the National Sports Council had to be well informed about banned performance-enhancing substances.

"Some foreigners come to Jakarta to find Chinese herbal medicine which is believed to increase their stamina," she said.

"There's a possibility that the medicine contains banned substances, based on the IOC's (International Olympic Committee) list," she added.

Samples given during the Games will be tested in Australia because the IOC has not recognized Jakarta's laboratory.

Djoko Pramono, the Games squad's training director, said the medical team would hold a doping information session in August after the team for the Games had been announced. (yan)