China's anti-doping fight has stepped into a new era with the birth of the Anti-doping Regulation, a top official of the country's sports governing body said on Wednesday.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao has signed a decree making China's Anti-doping Regulation public, which was published Tuesday by Xinhua with the authorization of the State Council, the country's highest governing body.

"The Regulation marks a new epoch in China's war on drug cheats. It is expected to help with the healthy development of Chinese sports," said Li Furong, deputy director of the State Sports General Administration.

The image of Chinese sports was tainted in the 1990s following several high-profile positive incidents, notably by swimmers. More than 30 athletes and officials were axed from their squad after seven rowers failed drug tests in the lead up to the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games.

"China has made great efforts in cracking down on drug cheats in the past years," Li told Xinhua.

"Hopefully the new law can ensure a normative, orderly organized fight against doping," he added.

According to Li, the rate of the positive tests was about 1.6 percent in 1990, and it dropped steadily to less than 0.4 percent in 2003.

The new legislation contains 47 articles in six chapters, and will go into effect as of March 1, this year.

According to the regulation, non-governmental sports institutions and administrative athletic organizations are subject to punishment if they are found to provide banned drugs for athletes, or deceive them into taking banned drugs in sports events.

The regulation stipulates that leading officials and people belonging to groups responsible for such offenses will be banned from working as sports administrators or engaging in activities assisting athletes for four consecutive years, or for life in the case of severe offenses.

They will be liable to pay compensation if the administration of banned drugs causes physical harm to athletes, and will face criminal prosecution for related activities that constitute crimes, according to the regulation.

The new regulation authorizes the country's sports administration to formulate, revise and make public a catalogue of banned drugs in cooperation with the central government departments in charge of food, drug, health and commerce, and the Customs.

(Xinhua News Agency February 5, 2004)