Blood Tests at Sydney Olympics -- September 1, 1999

The International Olympic Committee announced that some form of blood testing will be introduced at the 2000 Olympics in hopes of improving detection of performance-enhancing drugs. The IOC affirmed that a world anti-doping agency will be set up by the end of this year and will be operational for the Sydney Games, an answer to mounting calls for blood testing at the Olympics in the wake of a spate of high-profile drug scandals in track and field and other sports. Normally, all medalists, as well as other athletes chosen at random, are tested during the Olympics.