The new World Anti-Doping Code was approved on the final day of a three-day international conference on fighting performance-enhancing drugs in sports.

It will come into effect on Jan 1, 2009, after sports bodies have had time to implement them.

'Nobody thinks the code we adopted today is the final word or the perfect way of dealing with it, but it's a big improvement on what we had,' said outgoing Wada president Dick Pound.

The election of his successor, former Australian finance minister John Fahey, yesterday ended a European attempt to postpone the vote for six months to find another candidate.

Said Pound: 'It sends a message to the public that we remain firm in our resolve.'

The Wada code, which first went into effect in 2004, is the centrepiece of harmonised drug-testing rules across all sports and countries.

Among the most significant changes is the rule allowing for a four-year suspension, rather than the standard two-year ban, for a first doping offence in the event of 'aggravating circumstances.'

That would include multiple substance usage, being involved in a large doping scheme, or having performance-enhancing effects remain in the body for more than two years.

The new code also includes incentives to alert authorities to violations or to admit doping.

A ban could be reduced by 75 per cent for any athlete who assists officials in finding other cheats, and admitting to drug use before testing positive would cut a potential ban up to 50 per cent.

Also, athletes will be considered guilty of a doping violation if they accumulate a combination of three missed tests or failure to provide information of their whereabouts within an 18-month period.

Athletes can be suspended immediately after a positive A sample, with the back-up B sample to be tested within seven days.

Following objections on Friday by several international sports federations, the Wada board made a few changes to the final document that was ratified.

The International Olympic Committee, among others, were opposed to a provision that would bar any nation which fails to adopt the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation anti-doping convention from bidding to host a world championship after 2010.

AP