Abstract
China has been adhering to a policy of stringent prohibition, strict control, and severe punishment in anti-doping practice. Now, in the face of 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, China has reinforced its anti-doping movement even further by taking the following measures.
1. Increased doping testing. Since 1990, China has invested large sums of money in doping testing. The number of tests has increased from 165 in 1990 to 4, 896 in 2003.
2. More stringent punishment for drug use. Drug use is clearly prescribed in anti-doping regulations. For example, when an athlete has a positive doping test for the first time, punishments such as a two-year suspension from competition and a fine of up to 80, 000 yuan are imposed.
3. Improvements to the sports legal system. Since 1989, China has drafted and promulgated over 30 decrees that constitute the central part of China's legal system on anti-doping and gradually moves the anti-doping movement into a legal system.
4. Reinforced anti-doping information and education. Sticking to the concept of “prevention through education”, China has paid much attention to the education of athletes and their supporting staffs to ensure that they have a correct understanding of the dangers of doping and resist the use of drugs. Much research has been conducted on athletes' cognition and attitudes towards drug use, and a publication entitled ‘Recent Developments In Anti-doping’ is published to provide up-to-date information.
5. Linking to scientific methods. China's Anti-doping Test Center has passed annual examinations by the IOC every year for the past 15 since 1989. It remains a first-class laboratory that provides powerful technical support for monitoring drug use as well as for doping testing during the coming 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.
