Michael Phillips' 10-point plan to make athletics credible again before the Beijing Olympics

1 No positive tests in Beijing

In the wake of Marion Jones being sentenced to jail for lying about her use of steroids, the sport must have a drugs-free Olympic Games to enhance its image. It is essential. It cannot afford the slightest of scandals because in seven months' time the whole world will be watching. It is probably unfair to say that athletics is on trial - in the wake of Jones - but the sport is at a crossroads.

"Equally important is that we do not have the smell of drugs," says Brendan Foster, Britain's former 10,000m Olympic bronze-medallist. "If athletes we have never heard of finish 1-2-3 in Beijing, people are going to become sceptical. The credibility of athletics is hugely in question. It is crucial that as many people as possible are tested before the Games so that those who want to cheat are caught before they get to Beijing - so they do not go."

2 Longer bans for the cheats

The answer could lie in increasing the length of bans - or even making them life suspensions, from the two years which athletes have now. Jason Gardener, who retired from athletics last year after winning an Olympic relay gold medal and World and European 60m titles, would be all for that because he knows the clean athletes are competing with a handicap.

Gardener says: "My concerns are for a young talented sprinter such as Craig Pickering. He may not get a look-in while this drug-taking business is still going on. The testing has to carry on, but the key is for the testers to stay ahead of the athletes. It has to be nipped in the bud."

3 Don't miss tests