Taiwan lifters cleared to compete

Female weightlifters will compete in the Olympics in Sydney for the first time

Former world female weightlifting champion Chen Jui-lien has been cleared to take part in the Olympics.

Taiwanese authorities removed bans on Chen and another female athlete, Wu Mei-yi, after discovering flaws in dope tests.

"There were many flaws in the sample-taking procedures. It would be unfair if the federation upholds its ban to the two athletes," Chinese Taipei Weightlifting Federation spokesman Chiu Shui-wen said.

He said the bottles were not sealed or coded in the standard manner required by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the amount of urine was insufficient for such tests.

Positive test

Chen - female weightlifting world champion in the 63-kilogram category from 1996-99 - was tested positive in March for Metandienone, an anabolic steroid.

A testing centre in Malaysia earlier this month found another type of banned anabolic steroid banned by the IOC in the urine of Wu, who won a silver medal at the 69-kilogram category in 1998 world contest.

Taiwan will send 58 athletes, including Chen and Wu, to the Sydney Olympics, which begin on September 15. Women will be competing in the weightlifting event at the Olympics for the first time at the Sydney Games.