DPC MAY RESUME OPERATIONS EARLIER

KUALA LUMPUR, April 15 (Bernama) -- The Doping Control Centre (DPC) at
local Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) might be able to resume operations before
the two-month suspension period imposed by the World Anti-Doping Association
(WADA) is up following WADA expressing its satisfaction with the upgrading of
laboratories at the centre.

Malaysian Anti-Doping Agency chairman Dr M.Jegathesan said WADA would
conduct a follow-up inspection soon and the operational status of the DPC would
be known after April 20.

He said suspensions of DPCs was a normal process in WADA which had a tight
monitoring system to ensure all laboratories to test doping among athletes met
standards set by it.

"The same (suspension) has happened to DPCs in other countries," he told
reporters after attending a board meeting of the Olympic Council of Malaysia
(OCM) here Tuesday.

Jegathesan is also the deputy president of OCM.

Besides the DPCs in Seoul, Tokyo, Bangkok and Beijing, the DPC at USM in
northern state of Penang is an important testing centre in Asia for doping among
athletes.

WADA on March 21 imposed two-month suspensions on the USM DPC and one in
Ankara, Turkey for not conforming to standards.

They were given 21 days to appeal the decision.
-- BERNAMA