Eleven Chinese athletes have tested positive up to now in 2004, a top Chinese sports official said here on Wednesday.

Li Furong, deputy chef-de-mission of the Chinese Olympic delegation, said 11 positive cases were found in 3,050 doping checks conducted this year, including 350 blood tests.

None from the Chinese national teams preparing for the Olympicswas tested positive, according to Li, also vice president of the Chinese Olympic Committee (COC).

Only six positive cases were from sports on the Olympic program.

Li didn't name and shame these doped athletes and neither did he name the sports involved.

Li said 10 positive athletes were from local teams with the only one from a national side.

"We have been attaching great importance to anti-doping battle," Li said. "We have provided players and coaches with anti-doping knowledge and information and tried our best to make sure no Chinese to test positive at the Athens Games."

"We have learned to do THG tests," Li added.

China is sending 407 athletes to 203 events of 26 sports at the28-sports Athens Olympic Games.
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(Xinhua News? Agency? August 12, 2004)