The country is cracking down on doping as part of efforts to create a fair and competitive environment ahead of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, the State drug authority said yesterday.

The head of policy and regulation department of the State Food and Drug Administration (SFDA), Yan Jiangying, announced the launch of the campaign yesterday, which will end with the Games.

"The house-cleaning targets not only drug producers but also chemical plants," Yan said at a press briefing.

Five agencies, including the SFDA, police and customs, will jointly carry out anti-doping activities.

Initial inspections include getting those involved up to speed on drug product requirements by the year end.

Focus will be on those given drug production permits since March 2004, when anti-doping regulations came into effect.

Detailed checks include re-examining production and business licences, and databases used for tracking drug exports.

Those with overseas production orders are required to show approved contracts and file them with provincial drug authorities.

Any drug or chemical producers found producing illegal drugs will be banned from operating.

Supervision on drug wholesalers and retailers will also be tightened.

"Inspections will be extremely strict at Games venues including Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, Hebei, Liaoning and Shandong," Yan said.

A second stage of the crackdown, from January through the end of the 2008 Games, will see enterprises tracked on the production, sale and export of drugs.

Anti-doping rules stipulate that drugs can only be obtained through doctors' prescriptions. Possession of illegal drugs violate State regulations and are subject to its penalties.

(China Daily 11/09/2007 page5)