The International Olympic Committee has refused to confirm whether the banned Human Growth Hormone or HGH would be tested at this month's Athens Olympics.

The International Olympic Committee has refused to confirm whether the banned Human Growth Hormone or HGH would be tested at this month's Athens Olympics.

They said all listed banned substances are likely to be tested at the Games, which started this Friday.

The IOC had hoped to have a reliable HGH test in place by the 2000 Games in Sydney.

When this test proved elusive, funding was switched to the successful search for a blood test for EPO, or erythropoietin, a blood-boosting substance used by long-distance athletes to increase endurance.

During the Athens Games, the IOC plans to conduct about 2,600 urine tests and 400 checks for EPO. That's a 25 percent increase over the number of tests in Sydney four years ago.

Source: China Radio International