Race on to clean up athletics

摘要

The world of athletics is grappling with its biggest doping scandal for decades. But enquiries by New Scientist have established that a major development could soon help turn the tide of cheating. Before the end of the year, the UK will launch the world's first scheme to routinely screen sports supplements for contamination with illegal performance-enhancing drugs. News of the scheme comes as the current doping crisis deepens. Frozen urine samples from many top international athletes are now being tested retrospectively for tetrahydrogestrinone (THG), an anabolic steroid. Like others of its kind, THG builds muscle -but unlike them, its chemical structure has made it hitherto undetectable.