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Thursday June 14 3:08 PM ET
Athletes Want IOC Supplement Check
By JEFF ISRAELY, Associated Press Writer
ROME (AP) - Athletes representing Europe's national Olympic committees called Thursday for international regulation of the dietary substitutes, which have been blamed for a recent rash of positive drug tests.
Former Czech tennis star Helena Sukova said the International Olympic Committee (news - web sites) should establish a list of acceptable nutritional aid products.
A representative of the British Olympic Committee, Miriam Batten, urged the IOC to establish a hot line athletes could call to find out if a supplement could result in a positive doping test.
Others suggested the same stringent controls as those for pharmaceutical products be applied to over-the-counter supplements, which include creatine, a popular product that can contain precursors to the steroid nandrolone.
``I took Creatine because a doctor said, 'Take it, it's nutritional and will help you,''' said Peter Blange, a member of the Dutch Olympic volleyball team. ``But now I know I put my health at risk and risked testing positive.''
The calls came in the wake of claims by top soccer stars and Olympic competitors that they had tested positive for banned substances because of nutritional supplements.
A panel discussion Thursday was part of the inaugural meeting of the European Athletes Commission, a group of current and former competitors who represent their national Olympic committees.
Patrick Schamasch, the IOC's medical director, suggested that national Olympic committees may be better suited to monitor the products, which vary from country to country. He also said the IOC is studying supplement use.
``The IOC's intention is not to fight against the food supplements but to protect innocent athletes from poor labeling and to not allow an excuse for the real cheaters,'' Schamasch said.
Athletes Want IOC Supplement Check
By JEFF ISRAELY, Associated Press Writer
ROME (AP) - Athletes representing Europe's national Olympic committees called Thursday for international regulation of the dietary substitutes, which have been blamed for a recent rash of positive drug tests.
Former Czech tennis star Helena Sukova said the International Olympic Committee (news - web sites) should establish a list of acceptable nutritional aid products.
A representative of the British Olympic Committee, Miriam Batten, urged the IOC to establish a hot line athletes could call to find out if a supplement could result in a positive doping test.
Others suggested the same stringent controls as those for pharmaceutical products be applied to over-the-counter supplements, which include creatine, a popular product that can contain precursors to the steroid nandrolone.
``I took Creatine because a doctor said, 'Take it, it's nutritional and will help you,''' said Peter Blange, a member of the Dutch Olympic volleyball team. ``But now I know I put my health at risk and risked testing positive.''
The calls came in the wake of claims by top soccer stars and Olympic competitors that they had tested positive for banned substances because of nutritional supplements.
A panel discussion Thursday was part of the inaugural meeting of the European Athletes Commission, a group of current and former competitors who represent their national Olympic committees.
Patrick Schamasch, the IOC's medical director, suggested that national Olympic committees may be better suited to monitor the products, which vary from country to country. He also said the IOC is studying supplement use.
``The IOC's intention is not to fight against the food supplements but to protect innocent athletes from poor labeling and to not allow an excuse for the real cheaters,'' Schamasch said.
