Olympic drug checks stepped up

Customs authorities in Australia say that competitors arriving for the Olympic Games may face intensive questioning and body searches to ensure they're not carrying illegal drugs.

A senior customs official , the Olympic coordinator, John Hawksworth, told the BBC that about eight-hundred officers would be on duty at Sydney airport during the Games.

He said officers would decide which individuals or teams should be investigated, but he denied that there was a hit list of particular competitors.

The main targets would be people suspected of trying to smuggle growth hormones because athletes can't be tested for these during comeptition. Security will also be strictly enforced at the Olympic accommodation village, with police carrying out regular searches.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service