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Know Your Olympic Sport: Doping | Popular SciencePublished by
Who's Got the Drugs?Anybody notice something missing? Where are all the drugs? Despite all the attention going into the games, Beijing has been relatively clean (air pollution not withstanding). The size and scope of the Beijing Olympics has bordered on intimidating. In developing the drug-testing protocol for the games, organizers hoped their comprehensive plan would have a similar effect. The number of tests has increased from 3,600 used in Athens to 4,500 in Beijing. At a minimum, the top five finishers are tested, and athletes can be tested more than once a day at the 41 different testing locations. More than 1,250 tests were conducted pre-competition (800 urine and 450 blood tests). Positive results have been infrequent to date, though a North Korean air rifle competitor tested positive for a steroid known to minimize shaking, and was stripped of his medal. Guess there can be a Steroid Era in any sport. Read the full article at: www.popsci.com
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