SINGAPORE – The IOC contends too many Olympians are falsely depicting themselves as asthmatic, and outlined tough screening procedures to prevent them from qualifying for otherwise banned medication.

Arne Ljungqvist, the International Olympic Committee’s medical commission chairman, said last week tests at the 2004 Athens Olympics revealed that 45 athletes who described themselves as asthmatic did not in fact have the condition – 10 percent of the total that sought permission to take anti-asthma medication during the games.

He said such testing would continue at the 2006 Winter Games in Turin, Italy. In addition, athletes with asthma must provide documents verifying their condition.

“The 10 percent rejection rate indicates there is an overdiagnosis,” Ljungqvist said. “This clearly shows the need for a follow-up during the games.”

Ljungqvist said most of the athletes unjustifiably seeking asthma medicine probably were doing so based on faulty diagnoses from their own doctors, rather than out of intent to cheat. But other IOC members attending the committee’s session were not so charitable.

“We’ve caught onto their scam,” said Dick Pound of Canada, head of the World Anti-Doping Agency. He suggested that a majority of the asthma cases were fraudulent.

IOC member Pal Schmitt of Hungary called the high number of Olympians complaining of asthma “ridiculous.”

“The ill probably should practice some easier sport than participate in the Olympic Games,” he said. “We need to stop this pretending to be ill and taking dope in order to enhance the sporting performance.”