Anti-Doping Measures In YOG

Anti-Doping Measures In Singapore YOG

I believe that all athletes should participate in competitions and play fairly to win their competitions based on merit. No athlete should ever use artificial aids like drugs to enhance their performance just to win a medal at the Olympic level. In the Singapore Youth Olympics (YOG), I would like to see the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Singapore Youth Olympics Organising Committee (YOGOC) take strong anti-doping measures to weed out cheats who may attempt to turn to drugs to improve their performance.

As for the Beijing Olympic Games due in August 2008, the IOC had announced additional measures on 10 April 2008 to combat doping during the Olympics. Officials will test the top 5 finishers plus two more athletes to ensure fair play in Beijing.

In fact, all athletes in Beijing will be subject to doping controls at any time or place, and without advance notice. Any athlete who misses a test on two separate occasions during the Games, or on one occasion during the Games plus two in the 18 months prior, will be guilty of anti-doping rule violation. Any athlete possessing any substance from the list of prohibited substances would also be guilty. About 4500 tests is expected to be conducted during the Beijing Olympic Games (BOG).

Hopefully some or all of these measures will be introduced in the Olympics for Youths Games (YOG) so as to achieve an even playing field for all athletes concerned.