Chinese officials warn athletes against doping ahead of London 2012

Chinese officials have warned their athletes that should they attempt any form of doping, they will be caught out by the countries improved laboratory testing procedures.

According to China's General Administration of Sport, the country has made vast improvements in its drug testing strategy over recent years.

It has also recently summoned various heads of associations of Olympic sports, training bases and provincial sport bureaus together to sign a "responsibility agreement".

This agreement will see them commit fully to the anti-doping scheme as well as sportsmanship and good discipline at the forthcoming London Games this summer.

The administration's head Liu Peng said that significant steps had been made in the fight against doping but that the problem was still prevalent.

"China has made increasing efforts in cracking down on doping in the past years, including an improved legal system, effective doping tests and enhanced education," he said.

"Therefore China has effectively taken the number of positive cases under control.

"We are aware that the fight against doping will be a long and painstaking one.

"We are in a tough situation in terms of anti-doping, which remains a threat to the Chinese delegation."

The fact that China is still battling the problem was evident recently when the country announced that it had discovered four positive cases, including one from swimming world champion Li Zhesi.

Zhesi, who turns 17 this August, was found positive for performance-enhancing drug erythropoietin during an out-of-competition test this March.

She has since asked for a hearing following the shock announcement by the China Anti-Doping Agency (CHINADA).

Generally positive cases are unveiled by relative sport associations after hearings are held and punishments decided but this new way of doing things is just one of the ways designed to push associations into action.

The remaining three positive cases were from athletes who will not be heading to London 2012 and are from the fields of rowing, athletics and tug of war.