By James Pearce BBC Sports News Correspondent

The British Athletes Commission describes the plans as "a bolt from the blue"

British athletes have expressed concern at plans for their rooms to be searched by anti-doping officers during the London 2012 Olympics.

Sports Minister Gerry Sutcliffe wants every competitor to sign a contract before the Games to let their rooms be searched for blood doping equipment.

Sutcliffe has told BBC Sport that discussions for the move are under way.

He has spoken to the International Olympic Committee about the wording of the contract.

"We don't want to go as far as criminalising athletes," Sutcliffe told BBC Sport.

"What we do want to see is that it could be a term of condition of entry into a competition for the Olympic Games - or whatever the sporting event - that people will be allowed to inspect the athletes' accommodation.

We are very concerned at the proposals, which have come as a bolt from the blue Pete Gardner, the chief executive of the British Athletes Commission

"We have been working with the international bodies to make sure that they understand that could be a possibility."

Under current UK law, anti-doping officials have no right to enter an athlete's premises without permission.

Pete Gardner, the chief executive of the British Athletes Commission, says he is "very concerned at the proposals, which have come as a bolt from the blue".

Sutcliffe has been looking at different ways of increasing the powers of the drug enforcement agencies during the 2012 Games.

In Italy, where doping is a criminal offence, police raided the lodgings of the Austrian biathlon team during the Turin Winter Olympics in 2006.

A large number of doping products were seized. Sutcliffe's plans would enable anti-doping officials to take similar action during London 2012.

Britain's first dedicated anti-doping body (UKAD) is set to open on 14 December will take on the responsibility for drug testing from UK Sport.

A confidential "drug cheat" hotline is planned for 2010, along with an athletes' committee to liaise between UKAD and competitors.

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