SWIMMING FEDERATION TO TIGHTEN UP ON DRUG OFFENDERS

Swimming

A congress of FINA, the international swimming federation, yesterday announced drastic new punishments for doping offenders. Automatic four- year bans will be imposed on anyone found to have used anabolic steroids and they will be stripped of all medals and records achieved in the previous 12 months. Also agreed were two-year bans for use of other drugs, apart from lighter drugs, such as an excess of caffeine, which will carry a three-month ban. The doping problem in the sport was dramatically highlighted at the Asian Games in Hiroshima in October 1994, when seven Chinese, including two women's world champions, tested positive.