DRUG TESTS ORDERED FOR CHESS PLAYERS

Players at a Spanish chess tournament under way on the Mediterranean
island of Menorca were stunned to learn they had to provide a urine
sample under doctor's supervision,the daily El Mundo said Monday.

The Spanish Chess Federation said it was acting on orders from the
government body that oversees sports in Spain and regularly checks
athletes for banned performance-enhancing substances such as
amphetamines,tranquilizers and beta blockers.

Competitors and tournament officials said they had never heard of a
chess player taking drugs to become sharper-although a strong cup of
coffee was not out of the question.