IOC prepares for fight against drugs

Rogge has backed mandatory drug tests

The organisers of February's Winter Olympics know they have a fight on their hands to prevent the Games from becoming another tournament tainted by drugs.

A host of Salt Lake's potential stars have already been caught up in drugs controversies.

Latvian bobsleigher Sandis Prusis, 37, looked at one stage to be missing out on the games.

He was suspended for two years after testing positive for nadrolone.

But he has now had the ban lifted on appeal.

Prusis and Latvian Olympic officials blamed the positive test results on dietary supplements.

The International Bobsleighing and Toboganning Federation agreed and imposed a three-month retroactive suspension on Prusis.

That will end on 9 February, making him eligible for the Winter Games.

Meanwhile, Italian Carmen Ranigler, one of the world's top female snowboarders, has also been provisionally suspended after testing positive for an anabolic substance.

We want heroes and not just winners

Dick Pound, president of WADA

Ranigler has admitted taking the substance, which was prescribed by her fitness coach, but insists it was done so unwittingly.

By co-operating with the Italian Olympic Committee she hopes to receive a more lenient sanction than the two-year ban they may seek to impose.

Jacques Rogge, president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), has previously admitted he fears the battle to stamp out drugs may never be won.

First steps

Following his election as Juan Antonio Samaranch's successor last summer, Rogge said: "We will never win the war totally, but we have to reduce the level of doping."

Those first steps in the new war against drugs have already been taken.

Mandatory testing for EPO will take place in Salt Lake City and the IOC have also invited the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) to bring 12 observers to the Games.

WADA will conduct their own tests and will have also carried out 1,200 tests in the two months leading up to the Games.

Ranigler has been provisionally suspended

Each athlete will also be given their own drug passport to document doping control records.

Dick Pound, president of WADA, said: "At the Olympics we want heroes, not just winners.

"We are working to ensure that the upcoming Games are the most drug-free in Olympic history."

While a completely drugs-free Games may be too much to wish for, it is to be hoped that the new clampdown will at least ensure that in the majority of cases gold really does mean gold.