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New drug menace stalks sport=20 By Tom Fordyce=20
A new generation of undetectable drugs is threatening the validity of = sport across the world, a
BBC Sport investigation has revealed.=20
Athletes are able to use human growth hormone (HGH) with impunity = because it does not show up in
existing dope tests.=20
HGH SIDE EFFECTS=20 Life-threatening damage to heart, liver and kidneys=20 Spade-like mutation of
fingers and toes=20 Increased risk of cancers=20 And the World Anti-Doping Agency has admitted to
this website that is = unlikely to be able to introduce a new test before the 2004 Olympics - =
meaning sportsmen in Athens will be able to take HGH and related banned = substances safe in the
knowledge that they will never be caught.=20
HGH is outlawed by the International Olympic Committee but is easily = available over the internet.
Its abuse is presently impossible to detect = because it occurs naturally in the human body.=20
Dr Olivier Rabin, science director of WADA, told this website, "HGH is = one of the main concerns we
have. It's quite a challenge.=20
"There are currently six different teams in six different countries = working on the detection
of HGH.=20
"We would like to have something in place for the Olympics, but this = (attempt at) detection has
been going on for years. History has shown = that you cannot always get tests ready on time, because
science does not = move forward smoothly.=20
"We have two teams whose studies, if successful, could be a possibility. = But if there are elements
that need to be fine-tuned, they will not be = ready for the Games.=20
"The problem is that these tests need validation before they can be = implemented. It has taken
years to arrive where we are today."=20
Marathon world record-holder Paula Radcliffe is among those athletes = concerned at the gaping
loophole in the fight against doping.=20
"We don't know how big a problem it is, because we aren't doing the = tests," Radcliffe told
BBC Sport.=20
"There will always be innuendos and rumours, because until we find out, = we can't know who is
doing what."=20
Track record a worry=20
The omens for a successful implementation of a HGH test before next = summer are not auspicious.=20
The IOC launched a project in 1996 called HGH 2000, which was supposed = to deliver a test for the
Sydney Olympics but failed.=20
"There were technical elements to solve, because it is a complicated = matter," admits Rabin.=20
"We are dealing with a substance which is both endogenous (produced = within the body) and exogenous
(originating outside the body), and the = exogenous HGH is absolutely similar to what is produced by
your body.=20
"You need the cutting edge of science to decide what is endogenous and = what is exogenous."=20
Rabin's concerns are shared by anti-doping campaigners across the world. =
"You can pick up phases of drug use," Michelle Verroken, director of = drug-free sport at UK Sport,
told this website.=20
"Amphetamines were the drugs of the 1960s, EPO of the 1990s. Human = growth hormone and human
chorionic gonadotrophin are the present drugs = in vogue."=20
John Brewer, head of human performance at the National Sports Centre in = Lilleshall, told this
website, "It's very, very difficult to stay ahead = of the cheats.=20
"All the time, athletes and the shady medical characters who are = advising them are always trying
to stay one step ahead of the field. = They are always looking for new ways of avoiding
detection.=20
"Rumours spread like wildfire. They'll pick up in the changing-room that = someone has tried
something that works, and then for fear of being left = behind, they'll try it to see if it works
for them too.=20
"Because the rewards in sport at the highest level are so high, = sportsmen almost become blind both
to the possibility of being detected = and also the potential side-effects on their body."=20
Story from BBC SPORT: news.bbc.co.uk3101317.stmOpen ↗
Published: 2003/07/27 18:16:09 GMT
=A9 BBC MMIII
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<DIV><FONT size=3D2> <BR><STRONG>New drug menace stalks = sport</STRONG> <BR>By=20 Tom
Fordyce </FONT></DIV>
<DV><FONT size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DVI><FONT size=3D2>A new generation of undetectable drugs is = threatening the=20 validity of
sport across the world, a BBC Sport investigation has = revealed.=20 </FONT></DIV>
<DVII><FONT size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DVIII><FONT size=3D2>Athletes are able to use human growth hormone (HGH) = with=20 impunity
because it does not show up in existing dope tests. = </FONT></DIV>
<DIX><FONT size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DX><BR><FONT size=3D2>HGH SIDE EFFECTS <BR>Life-threatening damage to = heart,=20 liver and
kidneys <BR>Spade-like mutation of fingers and toes = <BR>Increased risk=20 of cancers
<BR>And the World Anti-Doping Agency has admitted to this = website=20 that is unlikely to
be able to introduce a new test before the 2004 = Olympics -=20 meaning sportsmen in
Athens will be able to take HGH and related banned=20 substances safe in the knowledge
that they will never be caught. = </FONT></DIV>
<DXI><FONT size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DXII><FONT size=3D2>HGH is outlawed by the International Olympic = Committee but is=20 easily
available over the internet. Its abuse is presently impossible to = detect=20 because it
occurs naturally in the human body. </FONT></DIV>
<DXIII><FONT size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DXIV><BR><FONT size=3D2>Dr Olivier Rabin, science director of WADA, told = this=20 website,
"HGH is one of the main concerns we have. It's quite a = challenge.=20 </FONT></DIV>
<DXV><FONT size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DXVI><FONT size=3D2>"There are currently six different teams in six = different=20 countries
working on the detection of HGH. </FONT></DIV>
<DXVII><FONT size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DXVIII><FONT size=3D2>"We would like to have something in place for the = Olympics,=20 but this
(attempt at) detection has been going on for years. History has = shown=20 that you cannot
always get tests ready on time, because science does not = move=20 forward smoothly.
</FONT></DIV>
<DXIX><FONT size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DXX><FONT size=3D2>"We have two teams whose studies, if successful, = could be a=20
possibility. But if there are elements that need to be fine-tuned, they = will not=20 be
ready for the Games. </FONT></DIV>
<DXXI><FONT size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DXXII><FONT size=3D2>"The problem is that these tests need validation = before they=20 can be
implemented. It has taken years to arrive where we are today."=20 </FONT></DIV>
<DXXIII><FONT size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DXXIV><FONT size=3D2>Marathon world record-holder Paula Radcliffe is = among those=20 athletes
concerned at the gaping loophole in the fight against doping.=20 </FONT></DIV>
<DXXV><FONT size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DXXVI><FONT size=3D2>"We don't know how big a problem it is, because we = aren't=20 doing the
tests," Radcliffe told BBC Sport. </FONT></DIV>
<DXXVII><FONT size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DXXVIII><FONT size=3D2>"There will always be innuendos and rumours, because = until we=20 find
out, we can't know who is doing what." </FONT></DIV>
<DXXIX><FONT size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DXXX><FONT size=3D2>Track record a worry </FONT></DIV>
<DXXXI><FONT size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DXXXII><FONT size=3D2>The omens for a successful implementation of a HGH = test before=20 next
summer are not auspicious. </FONT></DIV>
<DXXXIII><FONT size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DXXXIV><FONT size=3D2>The IOC launched a project in 1996 called HGH 2000, = which was=20 supposed
to deliver a test for the Sydney Olympics but failed. = </FONT></DIV>
<DXXXV><FONT size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DXXXVI><FONT size=3D2>"There were technical elements to solve, because it = is a=20 complicated
matter," admits Rabin. </FONT></DIV>
<DXXXVII><FONT size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DXXXVIII><FONT size=3D2>"We are dealing with a substance which is both = endogenous=20 (produced
within the body) and exogenous (originating outside the body), = and the=20 exogenous HGH
is absolutely similar to what is produced by your body.=20 </FONT></DIV>
<DXXXIX><FONT size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DXL><FONT size=3D2>"You need the cutting edge of science to decide what = is=20 endogenous and
what is exogenous." </FONT></DIV>
<DXLI><FONT size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DXLII><FONT size=3D2>Rabin's concerns are shared by anti-doping = campaigners across=20 the
world. </FONT></DIV>
<DXLIII><FONT size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DXLIV><FONT size=3D2>"You can pick up phases of drug use," Michelle = Verroken,=20 director of
drug-free sport at UK Sport, told this website. = </FONT></DIV>
<DXLV><FONT size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DXLVI><FONT size=3D2>"Amphetamines were the drugs of the 1960s, EPO of = the 1990s.=20 Human
growth hormone and human chorionic gonadotrophin are the present = drugs in=20 vogue."
</FONT></DIV>
<DXLVII><FONT size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DXLVIII><FONT size=3D2>John Brewer, head of human performance at the = National Sports=20 Centre
in Lilleshall, told this website, "It's very, very difficult to = stay=20 ahead of the
cheats. </FONT></DIV>
<DXLIX><FONT size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DL><FONT size=3D2>"All the time, athletes and the shady medical = characters who=20 are
advising them are always trying to stay one step ahead of the field. = They=20 are always
looking for new ways of avoiding detection. </FONT></DIV>
<DLI><FONT size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DLII><FONT size=3D2>"Rumours spread like wildfire. They'll pick up in = the=20 changing-room
that someone has tried something that works, and then for = fear of=20 being left behind,
they'll try it to see if it works for them too. = </FONT></DIV>
<DLIII><FONT size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DLIV><FONT size=3D2>"Because the rewards in sport at the highest level = are so=20 high,
sportsmen almost become blind both to the possibility of being = detected=20 and also the
potential side-effects on their body." </FONT></DIV>
<DLV><FONT size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DLVI><BR><FONT size=3D2>Story from BBC SPORT:<BR></FONT><A=20
href=3D"news.bbc.co.uk3101317.stm=Open ↗ "><FONT=20
size=3D2>news.bbc.co.uk3101317.st=Open ↗
m</FONT></A></DIV>
<DLVII><FONT size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DLVIII><FONT size=3D2>Published: 2003/07/27 18:16:09 GMT</FONT></DIV>
<DLIX><FONT size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DLX><FONT size=3D2>=A9 BBC MMIII<BR></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>
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