Canada will step up blood testing and...

Canada will step up blood testing and cut off federal support for athletes caught using steroids or other banned drugs, Sport Minister Otto Jelinek announced.

The announcement was made the day after the Quebec Federation of Weightlifters suspended Michael Viau for life. Viau, who had a positive steroid test at the Pan American Games in Venezuela two years ago, showed signs of steroids in his blood again this month.

Jelinek said that athletes caught using bulk-building steroids and similar compounds will lose federal support for good, and those caught using other substances banned by the International Olympic Committee will lose support for at least a year.