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)