WADA says may use hair samples now to test athletes for doping

The incoming president of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has suggested that athletes could soon be tested for drugs using hair samples.

Currently athletes are tested using blood and urine samples but Sir Craig Reedie revealed that a six million-pound fund from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) could lead to new testing techniques to catch cheats, like a lock of hair.

According to the BBC, traces of some drugs can last longer in hair than blood and urine and could improve testing, and Reedie said that the new IOC fund will create tremendous opportunities for advances in anti-doping and allow their scientists to look at alternative approaches to sample testing for banned substances.

A Moscow testing laboratory for the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics had its WADA accreditation suspended recently, but Reedie, who takes over his role on New Year's Day, confirmed that provisions have been made, adding that there will be a well-staffed and functioning satellite laboratory in Sochi.