By Baek Byung-yeul
As the Gwangju Summer Universiade officially began Friday, officials of the 12-day event pledged to tighten rules to make it "doping-free."
The organizing committee said Monday that this is the first time that every gold medalist will be subject to doping tests in the Univesiade's history.
"At the 2012 London Olympics, all medalists were drug tested," an official of the organizing committee said. "The Gwangju Universiade will be the first of its kind to conduct doping tests on all gold medalists, and we will also randomly test other athletes."
The official said organizers have been conducting doping tests on athletes as they arrived from June 26, when the athletes' village opened, adding that more than 750 urine and blood tests will be performed during the event.
As the Universiade's preparation went into full swing, the Korean sports community was hit by doping scandals involving several beloved stars.
The biggest involved Park Tae-hwan, the country's disgraced swimming hero who is suspended until the 2016 Rio Games after testing positive for testosterone. Park's suspension will be effective until March 2, 2016, and chances of him swimming at the Olympics are still alive if the Korean Olympic Committee (KOC) amends its local regulations. These prohibit an athlete who faced a punishment by the KOC or other sports federations for using or promoting banned substances from playing for three years from the date that his or her punishment expires.
Park was followed by Jeju United forward Kang Soo-il, who was banned for 15 games after testing positive for doping. He blamed a cream he used to help his mustache grow.
Kwak Yoo-wha, of the Heungkuk Life Pink Spiders in the women's volleyball league, faced a six-game suspension for doping. She blamed diet pills.
The latest was Choi Jin-haeng, of the Hanwha Eagles in the Korea Baseball Organization. He tested positive for stanozolol, a synthetic anabolic steroid, and was suspended from playing for 30 games on June 25.
The organizing committee said the doping tests, which will be conducted during the Universiade, are under the control of the International University Sports Federation (FISU). If an athlete tests positive, the sanctions also will be determined by the FISU.
As the Gwangju Summer Universiade officially began Friday, officials of the 12-day event pledged to tighten rules to make it "doping-free."
The organizing committee said Monday that this is the first time that every gold medalist will be subject to doping tests in the Univesiade's history.
"At the 2012 London Olympics, all medalists were drug tested," an official of the organizing committee said. "The Gwangju Universiade will be the first of its kind to conduct doping tests on all gold medalists, and we will also randomly test other athletes."
The official said organizers have been conducting doping tests on athletes as they arrived from June 26, when the athletes' village opened, adding that more than 750 urine and blood tests will be performed during the event.
As the Universiade's preparation went into full swing, the Korean sports community was hit by doping scandals involving several beloved stars.
The biggest involved Park Tae-hwan, the country's disgraced swimming hero who is suspended until the 2016 Rio Games after testing positive for testosterone. Park's suspension will be effective until March 2, 2016, and chances of him swimming at the Olympics are still alive if the Korean Olympic Committee (KOC) amends its local regulations. These prohibit an athlete who faced a punishment by the KOC or other sports federations for using or promoting banned substances from playing for three years from the date that his or her punishment expires.
Park was followed by Jeju United forward Kang Soo-il, who was banned for 15 games after testing positive for doping. He blamed a cream he used to help his mustache grow.
Kwak Yoo-wha, of the Heungkuk Life Pink Spiders in the women's volleyball league, faced a six-game suspension for doping. She blamed diet pills.
The latest was Choi Jin-haeng, of the Hanwha Eagles in the Korea Baseball Organization. He tested positive for stanozolol, a synthetic anabolic steroid, and was suspended from playing for 30 games on June 25.
The organizing committee said the doping tests, which will be conducted during the Universiade, are under the control of the International University Sports Federation (FISU). If an athlete tests positive, the sanctions also will be determined by the FISU.
