Olympics-Spain seeks to address IOC doping concerns

MADRID, Sept 18 (Reuters) - Spain's cabinet has approved changes to the nation's anti-doping rules to try to address concerns expressed by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in its assessment of Madrid's bid for the 2016 summer Games.

Madrid is vying with Chicago, Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo for the right to host the Games and the IOC said earlier this month it was unclear whether Spain's rules were in line with World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) guidelines.

Economy Minister Elena Salgado, standing in for Deputy Prime Minister Maria Teresa Fernandez de la Vega who is ill, said on Friday the planned revision to the rules "was in response to the concerns expressed by the IOC".

Under the changes, which need parliamentary approval, athletes could be tested outside competition from 6 a.m. until 11 p.m. and during competition 12 hours before an event started and until it finished, Salgado said at a news conference.

"We believe we have very adequate doping legislation which has been pioneering up to now but the IOC made some specific recommendations," she said.

"With this initiative, adopted in a very short time, the government wants to support Madrid's 2016 bid so that it can go to Copenhagen with the backing of all international organisations in the fight against doping."

The IOC will announce the bid winner at a meeting in Copenhagen on Oct. 2.

(Reporting by Teresa Larraz, writing by Iain Rogers, editing by Justin Palmer; To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)