FILE - Jamaica's Asafa Powell
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP):
JAMAICA'S WORLD 100 metres record holder, Asafa Powell, was tested for drugs just hours after arriving in Australia on Tuesday for the March 15-26 Commonwealth Games.
The Melbourne Age newspaper in reporting that doping tests already have begun on arriving athletes, listed Powell as one of those tested.
The Age said that just hours after arriving in Melbourne, Powell was visited by members of the Australian Sports Drug Agency, which carried out a standard doping test.
It said several members of the Australian boxing team, who arrived on Wednesday, were also tested within hours, and more tests will be done as athletes arrive.
The agency plans to test every athlete competing at the Commonwealth Games at least once before competition begins on March 16.
The tests could be among the last official duties performed by ASDA, which is expected to be replaced with a new Australian anti-doping authority within weeks. Legislation was passed in the Australian Parliament this week to establish the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority (ASADA).
NEW POWERS
The new authority could be operational in time for the start of the Games and will have new, independent investigative powers. It will also have the power to act on information from the Australian Customs Service and other law enforcement agencies in relation to possible doping violations.
Meanwhile, swimmer Ian Thorpe's prospects of competing at the Commonwealth Games have improved.
Thorpe, who has been ill with an undisclosed virus, said blood tests revealed he is on the mend after being hampered by the mystery illness, which started out as bronchitis last month.
"I'm getting better and it's actually the best I've felt in a while. I think the antibiotics are starting to work," Thorpe, a five-time Olympic gold medalist, said.
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