Aussie hit list of drug-prone athletes

Australian customs officers have been given a "hit list" of individual Olympic athletes and nations who might try to smuggle banned drugs into the country, the Sydney Morning Herald reported on Saturday.

The newspaper said the suspect athletes would be targeted for bag and body searches when they started arriving for the Sept 15 to October 1 Games next week.

It said risk nations were also on the hit list, with intensive questioning and searches planned for all their competitors and officials.

The newspaper said the move was expected to enrage the Australian Olympic Committee, which had proposed athletes not be searched for drugs and would be given notice before searches were carried out in their accommodation and venues.

From next week the number of customs staff at Sydney airport would rise from 600 to 800 to cope with the influx of thousands of athletes.

There was no comment from Australian Customs officials on the report.

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