AS EXPECTED, the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) has urged organisers of the fifth Jamaica International Invitational event, an Area Permit meet, to step up drug testing on Saturday.

The chairman of the organising committee, Howard Aris, who is also president of the Jamaica Amateur Athletics Association (JAAA), said at a press conference on Tuesday that the IAAF had given them 20 doping forms.

Dr Herb Elliott, a member of the IAAF's medical and anti-doping commission, said the main reason behind this was because it is an Olympic year.

"This meet is going to attract a lot of top athletes. It's one of the first meets in the world at this level and this is the beginning of the season," Elliott said.

Extensive doping tests

"All the IAAF wants to do is to position itself at a meet like this where we are going to do extensive doping tests," he said.

The Jamaica International Invitational, to be held at the National Stadium, is one of a select group of Area meetings at which points can be acquired by athletes to qualify for the IAAF/VTB Bank World Athletics Final to be held on 13-14 September in Stuttgart.

Asked how many doping tests likely to be done at the meet, Elliott replied: "I cannot tell you that at the moment.

"We will have enough kits to do enough doping tests. I am not going to suggest how many we are going to do, but we are going to do a considerable number."

Main athlete withdraws

Meanwhile, Donald Quarrie, who is in charge of bringing the athletes here, announced that Melaine Walker, the lone MVP athlete who was down to compete at the meet, has withdrawn.

However, he said the meet, which will attract a plethora of star athletes including two Olympic champions, Veronica Campbell-Brown and American Joanna Hayes, and two reigning World champions, Americans Tyson Gay and Kerron Clement, is geared towards helping athletes advance their careers.

Americans Sanya Richards and Wallace Spearmon and Jamaicans Usain Bolt, Novlene Williams-Mills, Danny McFarlane, Kerron Stewart, Delloreen Ennis-London, Kenia Sinclair, James Beckford and Maurice Smith are also listed for the meet.

"We take pride in putting on the meet to help athletes achieve their goals," said Quarrie, the 1976 Olympic 200m champion.