JAPAN: OLYMPICS - Japan's anti-doping agency unveils its mobile laboratory that can test athletes for drugs, as Tokyo makes its bid to host the 2020 Summer Olympics

Record ID: 331203

  • Title: JAPAN: OLYMPICS - Japan's anti-doping agency unveils its mobile laboratory that can test athletes for drugs, as Tokyo makes its bid to host the 2020 Summer Olympics
  • Date: 7th March 2013
  • Summary: URINE SAMPLING CUP AND TOKYO 2020 LOGO
  • Embargoed: 22nd March 2013 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Japan
  • Country: Japan
  • Topics: Science,Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVA9KFOCA5NVLZJGJS3ZE4PXJPCL
  • Story Text: Japan on Thursday (March 7) unveiled a mobile laboratory that can test athletes for drugs to help reinforce its bid to host the 2020 Summer Olympics.
    Its anti-doping agency displayed a laboratory vehicle, which include a toilet and a kit to test urine samples.
    "We can of course take urine samples here, and since we've been accredited, we can also analyse the results of blood tests here in this vehicle," Japan Anti-Doping Agency (JADA) committee member Megumi Ikeda said.
    JADA said the mobile lab, originally introduced in 2010, also included the first World Anti-Doping Agency-accredited blood testing facility, although it was not on display for the media as as it took up a large part of the vehicle when in use.
    While traditional fixed testing stations are the norm, Ikeda said having a mobile testing station would help in sports where locations are not easily accessible.
    "There are sports such as those conducted on the ocean or in the mountains where it can become difficult to have a proper supply of toilets for drug testing purposes and in those places we think we can use this to make sure testing is properly done. Where it is difficult to have proper testing facilities, I think that this will be used quite a lot," Ikeda said.
    Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told Olympic officials on Monday (March 4) that Tokyo would be an inspirational choice to host the 2020 Olympic Games, with Japan keen to showcase its recovery from a devastating 2011 earthquake and tsunami.
    Each city delivered its bid to the International Olympic Committee in January and on-site inspections by an evaluation commission began in Tokyo this week.
    A final decision on the host city for the 2020 Games will be made in Buenos Aires in September.
    Tokyo, which lost the bid for 2016 to Rio de Janeiro, faces Istanbul and Madrid this time around.
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