While in Australia it has been reported that athletes' blood and urine samples, especially those of medal contenders, have been taken and stored in a giant freezer.

 

The samples will be kept for eight years, giving authorities the opportunity to detect drug cheats and substances that may be currently undetectable.

 

The European Broadcasting Union, which includes the BBC, said it would present contracts to the sports ruling bodies asking them to comply with the rules of the World Doping Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) or face sanctions in terms of television rights and broadcasting time.

 

"The number of doping cases over the past year has strengthened our determination to ask our partners to do their utmost to fight against doping," EBU general director Jean Reveillon said.

 

"It is our duty to take measures to make sure our viewers are offered a sports show as clean as possible.

 

"If some of our partners did not offer the guarantees stipulated in the contract, there could be sanctions in terms of television rights and broadcasting time.

 

"We accept that there will be positive doping cases but we want to make sure our partners take every possible step to fight against doping."

 

Doping cases have marred high-profile sporting events over the past few years, notably cycling's Tour de France.

 

Doping is also likely to be an issue during the Beijing Olympic Games in August.

 

German state television channels ARD and ZDF suspended their coverage of the Tour de France last year in response to German rider Patrik Sinkewitz testing positive for elevated levels of testosterone.

 

Meanwhile, the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority (ASADA) has launched a major crackdown against doping in sport that has involved athletes being subjected to searches by Customs officials over the past two months at airports, the Daily Telegraph in Sydney reported.

ASADA's program has already been implemented in the high-risk sports of weightlifting and cycling.

The "pure performance" programme is aimed at ensuring Australia's hard-line approach to drugs in sport is maintained at all costs.

"We want to protect the Australian Olympic team, and with the AOC (Australian Olympic Committee) and Federal Government we have undertaken an extensive testing program," ASADA chairman Richard Ings told the Daily Telegraph.

"But this is more than just taking samples, we have targeted high-risk sports and worked with Customs and focused on the whole importation of performance-enhancing substances.

 

"Athletes have been educated and given wallets so they can refer to substances that are on the banned list."

 

It is understood extensive testing of potential medallists has been a priority, and the crackdown will continue at pre-Games camps and while athletes are competing overseas in the lead-up to Beijing.