LONDON, Oct 10: Olympic champion Christine Ohuruogu has given her support to the International Olympic Committee’s decision to retest Beijing Games doping samples in a search for a new blood-boosting drug.

The IOC are tracking a substance known as CERA, which came to light during a test of samples from this year’s Tour de France.

Together with the World Anti-Doping Agency, the IOC are attempting to discover how many of the 4,770 samples given during the Olympic Games should be re-examined.

British runner Ohuruogu, who was handed a one-year ban in September 2006 for missing out-of-competition drug tests, made it clear she supported the IOC’s stance. “Of course. If you are a clean athlete you have nothing to worry about,” the 400 metres gold medallist said. “It is always good for them to keep finding new ways of catching banned substances.

“It is something that is giving us confidence that they are on the ball. Every athlete wants to know they are competing against people who are not cheating.”

—AFP