SEA Games doping test rooms not ready

SEA Games doping test rooms not ready

JAKARTA (JP): With only 11 days left before the 19th SEA Games
begin, the doping commission is still having problems organizing
doping rooms at Senayan sports complex.

The commission's chairwoman, Dr. Dangsina Moeloek, said
yesterday that most sports organizers still did not understand
how to prepare the three rooms needed at each venue by the doping
commission.

"They usually only build toilets. But we also need a waiting
room, equipped with an air conditioner, and a working room for my
staff," she said.

At the Senayan complex, only the Madya Stadium -- the track
and field venue -- and the indoor tennis stadium -- the
weightlifting and bodybuilding venue -- meet international
standards.

The main stadium, where the soccer will start on Oct. 5, does
not yet have drug testing rooms. The swimming events organizers
promised to finish their doping test rooms on Oct. 2, while the
squash organizers built their required rooms as they build the
courts.

"Other venues (at Senayan) still need to prepare rooms,"
Dangsina said.

The other venues in the city have met the standard.

Some Games participating countries arranged for their athletes
to have out-of-competition tests to increase the athletes'
understanding of what the tests involve and which substances
could result in a positive test.

Dangsina said she had received a fax from Prof. Yang Zeyi,
director of the China Doping Control Center, saying: ".. not only
a few Southeast Asian countries do out-of-competition tests and
we found positive results of analysis."

"We also did such tests about two months ago. It's also a
short course for them to understand what a doping test really is
since many of our athletes do not understand the tests," she
said.

"It's also a good chance for my staff to practice their
knowledge of taking urine samples and doing the tests," she
added.

She urged the organizing committee to speed up the preparation
of the doping test rooms, and to isolate them from the public.

"If the rooms are not isolated enough, we may have claims from
the athletes. They may say that their samples were switched by
others. We must avoid such incidents," she said.

The commission will take urine samples from world record
breakers, first to fourth place winners, and other athletes at
random.

The samples will be sent to Indonesia's doping laboratory in
Rawasari, East Jakarta, which has received accreditation from the
Sydney doping laboratory.

Separately, national training director Djoko Pramono said that
some athletes, who had been injured and hospitalized, were
expected to recover before the Games begin.

Indonesia's best hope in beach volleyball, Timmy Yudani, who
partners with Bertha Kaize, is in hospital with typhoid.

Indoor volleyball spiker Fortina also has typhoid.

"I believe the volleyball manager will be able to handle the
problems. He can replace sick athletes with substitutes," Djoko
said. (yan)