The 14th Pacific Games hosted by New Caledonia are expected to open with much fanfare tonight, however they have already been marred by a drug cheat.

A Tahitian body builder was taken into custody at Tontouta airport on Thursday when 150 steroid pills, diuretics and thyroid pills were found in his luggage.

The combination of drugs enhances performance and within a 24 hour period, the drugs are masked within an athlete’s system.

Games officials have made it quite clear that drug cheats will be caught with 350 random drug tests scheduled over the course of the Games.

As Fiji Soccer opens the Games with their match against Tahiti with Fiji leading 2-0, the hosts are tipped to win the competition.

They have dominated the last Pacific Games four years ago New Caledonia is being tipped to top the medal tally once more.

The territory brought home 227 medals from the Apia Games in 2007 bagging 90 gold medals.

The Games official opening will be done by the French President Nicolas Sarkozy.


Story by: Paradise Tudrau
[Source: Radio Australia]