Athletics chiefs have vowed to make this year's World Championships in Helsinki the cleanest ever by increasing the number of drug tests. A hundred tests will be conducted in the month before the event starts in the Finnish capital on 6 August.
Around 500 urine samples will then be analysed in the days before, during and after the competition.
At least 300 blood samples will be tested for the performance-enhancing drug EPO and other forms of tampering.
A dozen officials from the World Anti-Doping Agency, over 100 from the Finnish Anti-Doping Agency and six from the International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) will be called in to work in Helsinki.
Several of them will focus solely on informing athletes and the public of anti-doping efforts.
"They will set up an information hub in the athletes' restaurant to give them written information on doping," said Juan Manuel Alonso, the head of the IAAF's anti-doping committee.
"They will also provide them with computer stations where they can check the list of banned products and read the international regulations."
There will also be a competition for athletes to test their knowledge of the subject of drugs.
MMIX
E-mail this to a friend 
Printable version 