http://sport.independent.co.uk/general/story.jsp?story=625249
By Mike Rowbottom
01 April 2005
Jacques Rogge, the International Olympic Committee's president,
yesterday suggested the contest to stage the 2012 Games was the
closest ever.
Speaking in Brisbane, where the five bidding cities - London, Paris,
New York, Moscow and Madrid - will present submissions to Oceania
delegates today, Rogge said: "It's very early to say who's in front,
who's behind. This is a very close race, five of the greatest cities
in the world bidding for the Olympic Games this time. The toughest
race probably in history."
Rogge refused to speculate on who might be the front-runners for the
prize, which will be awarded by the IOC in Singapore on 6 July. But
earlier this week, reports indicated that London's performance during
the recent visit by the IOC Evaluation Commission had elevated it to
the status of joint-favourite with the Paris bid.
Rogge has confirmed the latest "designer steroid" to be uncovered, DMT
(desoxy-methyl-testosterone), was not being used by any of the
athletes who competed at last summer's Athens Games. "The Athens
samples have been tested and they were negative, definitely," Rogge
said.
Canadian scientists last month uncovered the new steroid, which was
designed to avoid detection in standard drug tests.
The World Anti-Doping Agency said last month that Canadian scientists
had identified the substance after a tip-off from an anonymous source
- the same method which led to the uncovering in 2003 of the steroid
at the centre of the Balco investigation, THG (tetrahydrogestrinone).
Christiane Ayotte, director of Montreal's anti-doping lab, said last
month there was no evidence DMT had been used by athletes after
retesting thousands of urine samples.
Rogge's confirmation of the test results from the 2004 Athens Games
supports WADA's claim that the discovery has represented a pre-emptive
strike against cheats.
* Tracey Morris has withdrawn from the London Marathon on 17 April
because of an ankle injury.
The 37-year-old Leeds optician made her name by taking more than an
hour off her best time in last year's race, and earned an Olympic
place as top British woman finisher. She went on to finish 29th in the
Athens event.
"It is incredibly disappointing to have to withdraw from London which
is such a special race for me," she said.
ENDS
