Summer Olympics 1968-2008 Year Place # of Drug Tests # of Positive Results % of Positive Tests 2008 Beijing, China 4,500 47* 1.04% 2004 Athens, Greece 3,667 26** 0.71% 2000 Sydney, Australia 2,359 11 0.47% 1996 Atlanta, USA 1,923 2 0.10% 1992 Barcelona, Spain 1,848 5 0.27% 1988 Seoul, S. Korea 1,598 10 0.63% 1984 Los Angeles, USA 1,507 12 0.80% 1980 Moscow, Russia 645 0 0.00% 1976 Montreal, Canada 786 11 1.40% 1972 Munich, Germany 2,079 7 0.34% 1968 Mexico City, Mexico 667 1 0.15% ----- Total 21,579 59 0.27%

Winter Olympics 1968-2006 Year Place # of Drug Tests # of Positive Results % of Positive Tests 2006 Turin, Italy 1,200 1 0.08% 2002 Salt Lake City, USA 700 7 1.00% 1998 Nagano, Japan 621 0 0.00% 1994 Lillehammer, Norway 529 0 0.00% 1992 Albertville, France 522 0 0.00% 1988 Calgary, Canada 492 1 0.20% 1984 Sarajevo, Bosnia 424 1 0.24% 1980 Lake Placid, USA 440 0 0.00% 1976 Innsbruck, Austria 39 2 5.1% 1972 Sapporo, Japan 211 1 0.47% 1968 Grenoble, France 86 0 0.00% ----- Total 5,264 13 0.25%

Note: The data for the number of drug tests conducted and number of positive tests recorded from 1968-2004 were extracted from the International Olympic Committee's (IOC's) Feb. 7, 2007 report "Factsheet: The Fight Against Doping and Promotion of Athletes' Health" (83.5 KB) (updated Mar. 2008). The number of drug tests conducted and number of positive tests recorded for 2008 was obtained from the Nov. 8, 2008 New York Times article "Awaiting Test Results," by the Associated Press (AP). ProCon.org calculated the percentage of positive tests and the totals. *The number of positive tests for 2008 includes 39 positive tests prior to the games and eight during the games. It does not include the seven possible cases that have not been confirmed as of Nov. 18, 2008. **The IOC's report states that "the cases recorded covered not only adverse analytical findings reported by the laboratory, but also violations of the anti-doping rules, such as non-arrival within the set deadline for the test, providing a urine sample that did not conform to the established procedures, and refusal to comply with the procedures or to deliver urine." The 1992 Albertville Olympic Games were the last Winter Games held in the same year as the Summer Olympic Games.

"With a record 24 athletes ousted for drug-related violations, perhaps the biggest upset of the Olympics was no U.S. team member flunked a doping test...

The record number could increase after urine samples from the final weekend competitions are processed. If drug-testing technology continues to improve, it's possible stored urine samples could be tested later, and reveal more cheaters...

The previous Summer Olympics record for athletes banned because of doping violations was 12, at Los Angeles in 1984...

Weightlifters, as usual, were easily the biggest offenders, with 12 banned from competition in Athens.

Coming into these Games...weightlifting had 24 of the 57 failed tests since testing began in 1968.

Hungary had the most offenders, with five.

Russia had its most drug-tainted Olympics, with three violators. Before these Games -- and including the Soviet Union era -- only one Russian had tested positive at a Summer Olympics. Among the banned Russians was the women's shot put champion, Irina Korzhanenko.

Bulgaria, the all-time Summer Olympics leader with eight doping violations, had none in Athens.

The last time U.S. athletes tested positive at a Summer Olympics was at Barcelona, in 1992, when shot putter Bonnie Dasse and hammer thrower Jud Logan were banned."

Aug, 30, 2004 - Tom Weir 

"The Olympic equestrian events...reeled from success to scandal as doping again cast doubt on the future of elite horse sports in the Games...

The suspension of four riders from Thursday's grand finale show jumping contest, after their horses tested positive for a banned substance, pointed to the possibility of systemic doping in the sport...

The incident resurrected the spectre of Athens in 2004 and Sydney in 2000, when show jumping team and individual medals were re-allocated due to doping...

The horses in question were among 60 the FEI said were tested - 20 each from eventing, dressage and jumping of a total of 218. Samples were analysed at HKJC labs, considered among the world's best.

A club source wondered if the HKJC's [Hong Kong Jockey Club's] ability to detect the agent had been underestimated as no positive tests for capsaicin have been returned before now though it has been testable for two years.

The substance is a by-product of chilli and its use points not only to widespread doping but cruelty in the training regimes for show jumpers."

Aug. 21, 2008 - Agence France-Presse (AFP)