IOC DECIDES AGAINST BLOOD-TESTING PLAN

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, March 18, 1993                   TAG: 9303180200
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B6   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: From Associated Press reports
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium
IOC DECIDES AGAINST BLOOD-TESTING PLAN
Olympics officials in Atlanta on Wednesday backed off plans to introduce comprehensive blood testing at the 1994 Winter Games, deciding instead to support the limited anti-doping system already used at skiing competitions.
The International Olympic Committee's medical commission reported it has not developed a reliable test for detecting the use of the banned performance-enhancing hormone Erythropoietin, or EPO.
Previously, IOC officials had said they were confident the test would be in place in time for next year's Winter Olympics at Lillehammer, Norway.
"We're making progress, but if we needed to start today, we couldn't do it," medical commission chairman Prince Alexandre de Merode said. "With the juridical environment today, we don't want to take any risks. The more we progress, the more we realize that it is a delicate and difficult process. We have to go slowly. It would be irresponsible to begin before we are completely ready."
A year ago, De Merode had said the test was ready and could be used at the Winter Games in Albertville, France. Now, it appears his statement was mostly a bluff to keep athletes guessing.
For now, the IOC has decided to endorse the blood-doping test used by the International Ski Federation (FIS) for the past five years.
In Lillehammer, athletes in ski competitions will submit to blood tests administered and controlled by FIS, de Merode said. The tests, which supplement urinalysis, will not be carried out on athletes in other sports.
In other Olympic news:
\ RADICAL THREATS: Radical leftists may be turning violent in an attempt to keep Berlin from playing host to the Summer Olympics in the year 2000, city police said.
Earlier this week, vandals attacked 29 branch offices of the Berliner Bank, which has been a staunch supporter of the city's troubled candidacy. The police department said the investigation has been turned over to a new squad investigating anti-Olympics crimes.
Shortly after the Berlin Wall opened in November 1989, Berlin became a front-runner for the 2000 Games. The IOC will announce the winner Sept. 23 at Monte Carlo, Monaco.
\ U.S.-RUSSIA EXCHANGE: The Olympic committees of the United States and Russia renewed an agreement to exchange sports and cultural information, a move a top official of the former Soviet republic said could help his embattled nation send "a team of great athletes" to the 1996 Games.
Born amid the mistrust of the Cold War a decade ago, the agreement now could help form a lifeline for struggling athletes and coaches in Russia, both sides said.
"We hope this will do the best for both of us, Russia and the U.S.," said Vitaly Smirnov, president of the Russian national Olympic panel and a vice president on the International Olympic Committee.
\ GOOD RUN: At Lillehammer, Norway, skiing's top male downhillers tested Kvitfjell's Olympic course for the first time and the layout passed with flying colors.
"I hope this will become a classic course," said Atle Skaardal of Norway, who topped the first training run for Friday's World Cup downhill with a time of 1 minute, 43.21 seconds.

by Archana Subramaniam by CNB