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US steps up efforts to keep Olympic team doping-free

The US Olympic and anti-doping agencies are stepping up efforts to keep drug cheaters from competing in this summer's Olympics in Athens, the San Jose Mercury News reported on Thursday.

US Olympic Committee president Bill Martin wrote in a letter released this week that the US anti-doping agency was running out of time in chasing down drug users.

"Every day that passes is a day less that allows USADA to determine whether to proceed, and if so, to proceed expeditiously" because the Olympic team must be named by July 21, the newspaper reported Martin saying.

The US Olympic and anti-doping agency are also talking to US government officials regarding the release of materials a Senate committee has collected from athletes suspected of using performance-enhancing drugs.

Senator John McCain, chairman of the Senate committee, hinted on Thursday he might share the evidence linked to the probe of San Francisco-area sports nutrition company, Balco.

McCain met with US Olympic officials in Washington for about 90 minutes on Wednesday.

Martin said that if an athlete were named to the team before the deadline and then taken off, the Americans would not be allowed to send someone in their place.

The Mercury News has reported that 27 athletes, including 14 US track and field competitors, received steroids from Balco owner Victor Conte, according to an investigator's report.

Conte, Barry Bonds' personal trainer Greg Anderson, Balco vice president James Valente and track coach Remi Korchemny were indicted in the probe in February. All pleaded not guilty.

Bonds and a number of other athletes, including sprinters Tim Montgomery and Marion Jones, testified before the grand jury looking into the case. Bonds, Montgomery and Jones all deny using steroids.

The Athens, Greece Olympics begin August 13.
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