Chess' world governing body introduced drug testing at the Asian Games this week, although the sport's top official in Doha, Qatar, said he had no idea how drugs could enhance chess performance, Reuters reports.
"I would not know which drug could possibly help a chess player to improve his game," competition manager Yousuf Ahmad Ali said.
"But, yes, there will be official monitors who may demand that players undergo a drug test after the rounds."
Drug testing is the latest move by the World Chess Federation (FIDE) to raise international standards in the hope of making chess an Olympic sport in the future.
Chess is making its debut at the Asian Games, where more than 60 players will compete for the medals. The Asian Games take place through Dec. 15.
And Randy Galloway of the Fort Worth Star Telegram chimed in on the controversy surrounding Mark McGwire's first appearance on the ballot for baseball's Hall of Fame.
Galloway's one of the national baseball writers who vote in such matters. He won't be voting for McGwire, whom many suspect of using steroids to enhance his record-setting performance as a home run hitter.
He adds: "Do I know, say, [Tony] Gwynn and [Cal] Ripken [also on the ballot] were totally clean? No, but in the case of Gwynn, you have to think that was a body fueled by cheeseburgers, not steroids."
is this a good time to voice my complaint about the loss of the chess puzzle from the crossword page, i had been doing it ever since i was a carrier for the old evening edition, back in the early 60's...i miss it.