The Chinese Olympic Committee (COC) Wednesday released details of eight doping cases found in the first half of the year ahead of the Beijing Olympic Games.

Chinese men's top backstroke Ouyang Kunpeng and wrestler Luo Meng received the most severe punishments of life-time bans after the two national team athletes were respectively tested positive for anabolic steroid clenbuterol and furosemide, a diuretic to lose weight or a marking agent to cover other banned substances.

Ouyang's coach Feng Shangbao and Luo's coach Zhang Hua were also suspended for life, Jiang Zhixue, deputy secretary general of the Chinese Olympic Committee responsible for doping control, told Xinhua.

"We have tougher rules for the national athletes and their coaches," he said.

The country's sport governing body State General Administration of Sport put in force the regulation saying that national team athletes will be banned for life for doping rules violation and his or her coach will also face life-time ban.

Two divers Zhang Jun and Gao Li as well as their respective coaches were each banned for one year after tested positive for furosemide,

Weightlifter Shan Yan and her coach both received a two-year ban after the athlete tested positive for indapamide, also a diuretic. Xin Jia of track and field was banned for four years, with testosterone positive and the coach Zhang Nanalso suspended for four years.

Jiang said swimmer Yi Changming and Zhang Qi from track and field were under investigation and the punishments would be made later on.

"It is a pity that after we educate, test and punish, some people still risk their career by taking the banned substances," said Jiang.

"But we will keep cracking down on doping cheats. No doping rules violators, however excellent they are, can escape punishment," he added.

According to Jiang, China Anti-Doping Agency had carried out 6,038 tests with 5,095 out of competition by the end of June and 4,428 for athletes from track and field, swimming, cycling, weightlifting, wrestling, judo, rowing, Canoe and Kayak, triathlon and modern pentathlon.

"With the Olympic Games coming close, more tests will be carried out, especially athletes from the endurance and strength events," he said.

(Xinhua News Agency July 9, 2008)