Beijing dope tests to rise 25 percent from Athens - IOC

BEIJING, Oct 26 (Reuters) About 25 percent more doping tests will be conducted at the 2008 Beijing Olympics than were carried out at the Athens Games in 2004, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced today.

''As part of its zero tolerance approach to fighting doping, the number of tests will be significantly increased,'' said an IOC statement released at the end of the coordination commission's inspection of preparations for the Beijing Games.

''Final numbers are to be confirmed but are expected to be around 4,500, a 25 percent increase on Athens 2004.'' More than 3,500 tests were conducted at the Athens Games with 22 athletes either breaching regulations or testing positive for banned substances, including Greece's top two sprinters and three athletics gold medallists.

The Athens total was itself a 25 percent rise on the 2000 Summer Games in Sydney, where 11 athletes were caught cheating.

REUTERS DH ND1726