Salt Lake City GER 12 16 7 35 USA 10 13 11 34 NOR 11 7 6 24 CAN 6 3 8 17 RUS 6 6 4 16 AUT 2 4 10 16 ITA 4 4 4 12 FRA 4 5 2 11 SUI 3 2 6 11 NED 3 5 0 8 Full 2002 table

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Drug-test improvements sought

      WASHINGTON — As the Olympics begin, Rep. Jim Matheson, R-Utah, is calling for Congress to improve methods of detecting illegal drug use by athletes.
      He said Tuesday he would introduce a bill this week calling for research and development of better, more foolproof tests — and for a study on the long-term effects of performance-enhancing drugs such as steroids and human growth hormone.
      "Competition needs to be fair and dope-free," Matheson said. "Testing for banned substances must be fair, reliable and valid. Athletes, coaches and the public must have confidence in the fairness of the competition."
      He said his bill comes as two dozen international athletes have tested positive for high levels of banned substances and may be banned from the 2002 Games.
      Matheson said his bill would enable the National Institute of Standards and Technology and the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency to work together to design improved tests for performance-enhancing substances.
      "The majority of doping tests are still based on a urine sample," said USADA Board Chairman Frank Shorter, a former track star who won a gold medal at the 1972 Olympics.
      "Any new tests should take advantage of scientific advances and the best available technology. A testing program that has everyone's confidence is needed to protect the image of Olympic sport," Shorter said.
      Matheson said he also seeks more research on the long-term consequences of doping because some studies estimate that up to 1 million youths may now use them.
      His bill would authorize up to $2 million a year for research into such long-term health effects, and up to $5 million a year for five years for development of new test protocols.