Olympic athletes face many doping, virus tests in Beijing

By GRAHAM DUNBAR
AP Sports Writer

BEIJING (AP) — The athletes at the Beijing Olympics will have to contend with the daily collection of coronavirus samples as well as the usual doping tests. The 2,900 or so competitors at the Winter Games have to make themselves available for unannounced doping control visits and that puts them at greater risk of catching COVID-19 and possibly ruling them out of their event. The agency that oversees sample collection at the Olympics says the daily virus tests add extra psychological weight and uncertainty. International Testing Agency official Matteo Vallini says “it puts them under pressure.”