New EPO test sought

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) will try to find a simpler and more effective system to the EPO testing employed by the International Olympic Committee.

The IOC has confirmed that it will stick with a combined blood and urine test for the banned endurance-boosting hormone at the Salt Lake City Winter Games.

That ruling came despite IOC president Jacques Rogge saying that the urine-only test devised by French scientists would probably suffice.

But despite a meeting with medical experts, the IOC decided against the change.

But WADA, an independent body set up by the IOC two years ago to coordinate drug testing worldwide, has decided to review the situation.

Despite agreeing with the decision of the IOC, it believes it can find an "effective EPO test that is easier to conduct".

Pound described the current test is "cumbersome"

"To step up the fight against the misuse of EPO, WADA finds it necessary and urgent to refine the existing test," WADA said in a statement.

"The issue is that the current test, while reliable, is cumbersome," said WADA chairman Dick Pound.

"We want to test for EPO misuse on a grand scale, when and where testing will be effective, so we need the simplest test science can provide us."

In Salt Lake City, an athlete will be considered guilty of EPO use only if both the blood and urine tests are positive.