SYDNEY: Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) President John Coates called on Monday for tougher penalties for importing and using performance enhancing drugs which he said were being abused more than narcotics. Coates told reporters he had made the call to Prime Minister John Howard and all state premiers. "The level of non-medical use of anabolic steroids is now greater than heroin and cocaine and is estimated to be two percent of the population," he said.

Vandalism at Test venue

COLOMBO: Police in southern Sri Lanka are looking for a gang which destroyed ten cricket pitches at a brand new international cricket stadium last week, a local newspaper reported today. The three-member gang broke into the Galle international cricket stadium on Thursday night, dug up the pitches and poured engine oil on them. Police believe the act is the result of rivalry between two gangs for control of gambling operations in the area.

Greene, Johnson lead US stars at`Athletissima'

LAUSANNE: World and Olympic 400m champion Michael Johnson and sprint king Maurice Greene will vie for centrestage when the European athletics Grand Prix circuit resumes here on Tuesday. Organisers hope a string of world-class Americans will inspire the fans at the "Athletissima" meeting.

The men's sprints, with Greene, Trinidad's 200m World champion Ato Boldon and 200m African champion Frankie Fredericks to the fore, promise some fine action. The one absence will be Canadian Olympic champ Donovan Bailey.