Doping test samples to be kept 8 yrs

Samples from athletes competing in the ongoing Beijing Olympics will be kept for eight years for doping retests, on top of what is being done in line with standard procedures, Games organizers said yesterday.

Chen Zhiyu, head of the anti-doping division of the Beijing Organizing Committee of the 29th Olympic Games (BOCOG), made the remarks in response to a question at a press conference, on whether the division is introducing new technologies or considering new substances in doping tests amid world records being broken in the swimming and track events.

"We make no exceptions to any particular event when it comes to doping tests," Chen said.