Doping-European anti-doping agencies want more testing in U.S

More than 30 European anti-doping agencies expressed concern on Thursday, in a letter seemingly aimed at the U.S., that professional and college athletes competing in major events such as the upcoming Olympics were not being sufficiently tested.

They said they were alarmed that athletes competing in professional and college sports systems are not bound by the World Anti-Doping Agency's code and called on WADA to conduct an in-depth assessment.

While not directly pointing a finger at the United States, the spotty testing in American college and professional sports leagues such as the National Football League, Major League Baseball, National Basketball Association and National Hockey League has long been viewed as a black hole by anti-doping officials.

"It is alarming to us, that athletes competing at a very high level such as the college sports system and professional leagues, are not bound by the provisions of World Anti-Doping Code," the Central European Anti-Doping Organisation (CEADO) said in an open letter to WADA signed by 31 national anti-doping agencies.

"Based on the available data, the numbers of samples collected in some of these countries are concerning in relation to the number of athletes taking part in major sporting events such as Olympic Games and world championships and we are deeply concerned that those athletes apparently are not being sufficiently tested prior to major sporting events."

BIG U.S. COLLEGE COMPONENT

The United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) announced on Wednesday that it will send a 592-member team to the Paris Olympics with 75 per cent (444 athletes) having competed collegiately at 169 schools.

Twenty-one teams have at least 80 per cent collegiate participation on their U.S.