IOC's Rogge praises 'intensive' testing

The Games ended with only one Olympian -- Russian biathlete Olga Pyleva -- sanctioned for doping in competition, though an investigation by Italian police and Olympic officials continues into the Austrian cross-country and biathlon teams.

Doping control officers had collected 905 blood or urine samples through Friday, according to the most recent figures, and expected to conduct 1,200 tests by last night. The results of recent tests will not be available until early this week.

International Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge suggested the IOC's ''severe and intensive" testing in Turin -- up from 700 tests at Salt Lake City in 2002 and 621 at Nagano in 1998 -- was working.

''I really believe that [only one positive test] already is a good result," he said. ''I think with these deterrent effects, athletes will have more and more difficulty cheating."

The Turin Games will be remembered as the first in which the IOC teamed with police to pursue doping allegations. ''We have to fight doping with all the means we have," Rogge said.

Seven Olympians were sanctioned for doping at Salt Lake City, though four of the cases, including two involving Austrian cross-country skiers, were not made public until after the Games. One of the Austrians, Marc Mayer, is the son of Walter Mayer, the banned coach who is a central figure in the current inquiry into the Austrian team.

Rogge said Olympic officials need to remain vigilant, especially with the possible advent of genetic doping in five to 10 years.

''The fight against doping will always be a perpetual fight," he said.

BOB HOHLER