Six additional athletes tested positive for doping during the 2008 Beijing Olympics. This brings a total of 15 athletes caught for doping in the said event. This just triggered a stricter implementation of the anti-doping policies set by the International Olympic Committee.

Athletes that were caught positive for CERA were Bahrain’s Olympic 1,500-meter track gold medalist Rashid Ramzi, Italian cycling silver medalist Davide Rebellin, Dominican female weightlifter Yudelquis Contreras, Greek race walker Athanasia Tsoumelaka, cyclist Stephan Schumacher and Croatian 800-meter runner Vanja Perisic.

Continous Erythroprotein Receptor Activator (CERA) works by increasing endurance through the stimulation of red blood cell production. Serves as a blood boosting drug, carrying oxygen and improving performance of the athletes.

The IOC has 948 blood samples re-tested since the test for CERA has been available. Should the Beijing samples have positive results, the athletes involved will be banned from the next Olympics, and medals will be retrieved and be disqualified. Testing has started and it focused on events which involved endurance such as cycling, swimming and track and field.

Despite the findings, The International Association of Athletics Federations refused to give any names seeing to it that all results were confidential. They are still waiting for any additional details from the IOC before granting any sanctions.

The first athlete to have tested positive was Rashid Ramzi of Bahrain. This Moroccan native was responsible for Bahrain to earn its first ever Olympic gold medal for track and field. He finished the course at 3 minutes, 32.94 seconds in the Beijing Olympics. He also won at the 2005 world championship for the 800-1,500 double track and fields.

The Bahrain Olympic Committee ensures that before Ramzi was sent to compete in the Olympics, he was tested for doping and all the results were negative. They are deeply apologizing for the news released by the IOC.

On June 8, Ramzi’s samples will be sent to France for testing and face an IOC hearing the same day. If his samples come out positive, his medal will be returned, and Asbel Kipruto Kiprop of Kenya will hold the gold.

For Davide Rebellin, the Italian Olympic Committee has suspended this 37- year old Diquigiovanni-Androni cyclist while analysis of his “B” sample is still pending. Ettore Torri, anti- doping prosecutor called him on to a hearing.

This silver medalist denies any intake of prohibited substances claiming that these are “paths” that can ruin his image. He does not see the point of involving in these acts. Still unsure if he could still come back in the racing world, he will still ride for the love of it.

Athanasia Tsoumelaka had been identified by a source outside of the IOC also announced that she had tested positive in the retesting done in Beijing last January. She was charged with the use of banned drugs.

Stephan Schumacher, 27-year old German cyclist has found his way again in the involvement of the use of these drugs. He was one of the positive cases in the Beijing re-tests. He had already been banned for two years by the International Cycling Union for also testing positive for CERA during the Tour de France. This cyclist finished 13th in the Beijing race and dropped out before the finish.

The IOC had already disqualified nine athletes for doping cases at the August 8-24 Olympics. They also had stripped four athletes of Beijing medals.

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