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Just in case anyone hadn't seen the latest, a small cutting from the
New Zealand Herald:
"Olympics: Supplements can give positive dope results
05.04.2002 4.38 pm
Widely-used food supplements contain substances which could lead to
positive results in tests for banned drugs, an International Olympic
Committee (IOC) study released on Thursday shows.
While sending a warning message to athletes, the IOC said the results
also sounded alarm bells for general public health.
"If a teenager takes these supplements without knowing what is in
them, and they contain precursors to hormones, he is potentially
affecting his hormone system," Patrick Schamasch, the IOC's Medical
Director said.
"This is a major concern for athletes but it is also a major concern
for public health," he said.
The study, the IOC's first into nutritional supplements, showed 14.8
per cent of 634 such items tested contained non-labelled substances
which could lead to a positive test for banned anabolic steroids.
That prompted the Lausanne-based body to repeat its warning to
athletes not to use such supplements and urge industry and
governments to take tougher measures.
"We are telling athletes not to take any food supplements. If they
take them, it's at their own risk. We've been telling them not to
take food supplements since 1997 and now we have the proof -- this is
a huge amount," Schamasch said.
Under IOC rules, athletes are responsible for whatever is found in
their bodies, whether taken intentionally or not. Schamasch stressed
it would continue to show no compassion for athletes who unwittingly
digested banned substances.
"We have no sympathy. Athletes are fully aware that they should not
touch these products so it cannot be used as an excuse." he said.
"There's no need to take them. A good nutritional diet is much
better."
Most of the non-hormonal supplements were purchased in stores or over
the internet. The IOC analysed products from 215 different providers
in 13 countries, which were gathered over a 13-month period ending in
November 2001.
The Netherlands, whose soccer stars Edgar Davids, Jaap Stam and Frank
De Boer have all failed drug tests in recent times, came out worst,
with 25.8 per cent of products in the IOC study leading to a positive
result.
Austria was second with 22.7 per cent of products testing positive,
followed by Britain (18.9 per cent) and the United States (18.8 per
cent), according to the study.
"The lack of oversight existing in some countries has prompted the
IOC to intervene and to recommend to athletes not to take such
products," the IOC said in a statement.
Some countries, like Switzerland, where the IOC is based, Sweden and
Hungary, were given the all clear.
But having warned athletes against the potential risks of nutritional
supplements for the past five years, the IOC is now calling for such
products to be subject to the same rigorous labelling rules as
pharmaceuticals.
"The IOC hopes the results of this study demonstrate to governments
and the industry the need for greater quality control to ensure
substances not found on the label are not found in the product," it
said.
"The IOC Medical Commission recommends controls, similar to those
pertaining to the manufacture of pharmaceuticals, be applied to the
production of nutritional supplements."
Out of the 94 samples which would lead to a positive result in an
anti-doping test, 23 contained building blocks for both nandrolone
and testosterone, 64 contained precursors of testosterone alone and
seven of nandrolone alone.
The samples were analysed at the IOC-accredited laboratory in
Cologne, Germany.
- REUTERS"
New Zealand Herald:
"Olympics: Supplements can give positive dope results
05.04.2002 4.38 pm
Widely-used food supplements contain substances which could lead to
positive results in tests for banned drugs, an International Olympic
Committee (IOC) study released on Thursday shows.
While sending a warning message to athletes, the IOC said the results
also sounded alarm bells for general public health.
"If a teenager takes these supplements without knowing what is in
them, and they contain precursors to hormones, he is potentially
affecting his hormone system," Patrick Schamasch, the IOC's Medical
Director said.
"This is a major concern for athletes but it is also a major concern
for public health," he said.
The study, the IOC's first into nutritional supplements, showed 14.8
per cent of 634 such items tested contained non-labelled substances
which could lead to a positive test for banned anabolic steroids.
That prompted the Lausanne-based body to repeat its warning to
athletes not to use such supplements and urge industry and
governments to take tougher measures.
"We are telling athletes not to take any food supplements. If they
take them, it's at their own risk. We've been telling them not to
take food supplements since 1997 and now we have the proof -- this is
a huge amount," Schamasch said.
Under IOC rules, athletes are responsible for whatever is found in
their bodies, whether taken intentionally or not. Schamasch stressed
it would continue to show no compassion for athletes who unwittingly
digested banned substances.
"We have no sympathy. Athletes are fully aware that they should not
touch these products so it cannot be used as an excuse." he said.
"There's no need to take them. A good nutritional diet is much
better."
Most of the non-hormonal supplements were purchased in stores or over
the internet. The IOC analysed products from 215 different providers
in 13 countries, which were gathered over a 13-month period ending in
November 2001.
The Netherlands, whose soccer stars Edgar Davids, Jaap Stam and Frank
De Boer have all failed drug tests in recent times, came out worst,
with 25.8 per cent of products in the IOC study leading to a positive
result.
Austria was second with 22.7 per cent of products testing positive,
followed by Britain (18.9 per cent) and the United States (18.8 per
cent), according to the study.
"The lack of oversight existing in some countries has prompted the
IOC to intervene and to recommend to athletes not to take such
products," the IOC said in a statement.
Some countries, like Switzerland, where the IOC is based, Sweden and
Hungary, were given the all clear.
But having warned athletes against the potential risks of nutritional
supplements for the past five years, the IOC is now calling for such
products to be subject to the same rigorous labelling rules as
pharmaceuticals.
"The IOC hopes the results of this study demonstrate to governments
and the industry the need for greater quality control to ensure
substances not found on the label are not found in the product," it
said.
"The IOC Medical Commission recommends controls, similar to those
pertaining to the manufacture of pharmaceuticals, be applied to the
production of nutritional supplements."
Out of the 94 samples which would lead to a positive result in an
anti-doping test, 23 contained building blocks for both nandrolone
and testosterone, 64 contained precursors of testosterone alone and
seven of nandrolone alone.
The samples were analysed at the IOC-accredited laboratory in
Cologne, Germany.
- REUTERS"
