Several members of Jamaica's track & field contingent who were yesterday still deep in their Olympic training camp preparations in Tianjin, China, have been subjected to multiple drug tests in recent days.

The Gleaner has learnt that many of the country's top athletes, including world 100m record holder Usain Bolt, Asafa Powell and reigning Olympic 200m champion Veronica Campbell-Brown, were among those tested.

"Most of our athletes were tested, some twice in the last four days," a source close to the team told The Gleaner.

In-competition tests

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has frequently publicised that 4,500 in-competition drug tests will be conducted during the Olympic Games.

However, the World Anti-Doping Agency is expected to conduct out-of-competition testing, targeting athletes who do not stay in the village and those who arrive late and leave early.

Among the measures being undertaken are more thorough human-growth hormone testing and a boosting of erythropoietin (EPO) detection capabilities.

Meanwhile, at a press conference in Beijing yesterday, IOC boss Jacques Rogge said he anticipated the Olympic Games could see up to 40 positive drugs tests.

"I expect there to be between 30 to 40 positive tests, based on an extrapolation from Athens in 2004 where there were 26 from 3,500 tests and here there will be 4,500 tests," Rogge said in media reports.