Irish woman to be Athens doping observer

Olympics: An Irish woman was yesterday selected to go to the Athens Olympics as an independent observer for the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).

Dr Una May will supervise doping tests to ensure they are fair and balanced, with the help of nine other independent observers.

The former competitor in world mountain-running championships, who is also the head of the Irish Sports Council's anti-doping programme, will leave for Athens next week.

"It's just to give people the confidence that there's no bias or question marks over the testing. In the past, people might have had concerns that they weren't completely open and transparent," said Dr May.

Since the Sydney Olympics four years ago, independent observers have been present at 15 world championships and other major competitions.

Dr May joked she would be watching the Olympics "from the toilets" as she and the other officials have to oversee 3,000 drugs tests and track the samples taken to the laboratories.

"We'll be rotating around the various venues and observing the selection of athletes, the sample collection procedures and making sure they're being transported in a secure manner," she said.

Around 10,500 athletes, accompanied by 5,500 team officials, will take part in the Athens Olympics. The observers will be on the lookout for banned practices such as blood transfusions, urine spiking and tampering with samples.

The Australian and American Olympic teams have been shaken by doping controversies but Dr May said the public could have full confidence in the 48 athletes on the Irish team.

"We would be recognised as having a very rigorous out-of-competition testing programme in Ireland," she said. "All athletes have to provide us with details of where they live and where they are training. They have to keep in constant contact with us."

The Irish Sports Council said the selection of Dr May for the Athens Olympics was an important vote of confidence in the Irish anti-doping programme.