2 Failed drugs tests at world champs

Two athletes have been suspended after failing drugs tests at the world championships in Daegu this summer, the International Athletics Federation (IAAF) announced Friday. Portuguese steeplechaser Sara Moreira and South Korean sprinter Lim Hee-nam both failed tests for the banned stimulant methylhexaneamine, the IAAF said. With the findings confirmed by B sample analysis the pair have been provisionally suspended pending the outcome of disciplinary hearings, in accordance with IAAF regulations. Moreira placed 12th in the women's 3,000-metre steeplechase while Lim was in South Korea's 4x100m relay team which came in fifth in their heat. Methylhexaneamine is often used as a nasal decongestant and can also be found in food supplements. The IAAF carried out a widespread anti-doping programme during the championships using classic doping tests as well as ensuring that each of some 2,000 participating athletes underwent a blood test. The organisation said a total of 468 urine samples were collected as part of its standard testing programme - 41 samples out-of-competition and 427 samples in-competition in co-operation with the local organising commmittee and the Korean Anti-Doping Agency (KADA), with the samples analysed by the WADA-accredited laboratory in Seoul. As well as the standard urine tests conducted in-competition, blood samples were collected from August 18 in the athletes' village for profiling purposes for the athletes' biological passports, 1,849 blood samples being collected in all. The samples were analysed on-site in Daegu for a first haematological screening. IAAF President Lamine Diack said: "I am delighted to report that the testing programme in Daegu was an unprecedented success in terms of the number of samples collected. "We were committed in Daegu to launching the Athlete Biological Passport in Athletics and in this regard, in addition to our regular World Championships testing programme, we were successful in taking a blood sample from every accredited athlete in Daegu which was a remarkable achievement."