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01. 02. 12. - 13:00

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01. 02. 12. - 13:00

German Olympic Doping Scandal

Anti-doping authorities are to examine 28 elite athletes treated by a leading medic from Germany's Olympic training centre said to have used banned blood treatments as competitors prepare for London 2012.

An investigation by Germany's new National Anti Doping Agency has revealed that sports physician Andreas Franke may have used banned performance enhancing 'black light' doping, where some of an athlete's blood is taken, exposed to ultra-violet rays and then returned.

The technique is understood to have been developed in former Communist East Germany and used on their elite athletes for years before the country's reunification.

Franks - based at one of the country's Olympic training hubs in Erfurt - is said to have links to a number of German Olympic champions alleged to have used doping methods to win.

Five-time Olympic speed skating gold medallist Claudia Pechstein – previously suspended amid allegations of doping – as well as former runner Nils Schumann, who won gold in the 800 metres at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, have been named by local media.
NADA chairman Andrea Gotzmann said: "Of course we examine every single case in which prohibited methods may have been used regardless of whether we’re dealing with young athletes or Olympic champions."

Franke denied any wrong doing saying that his methods were used to prevent infections and were "not performance enhancing in any way."

German prosecutors have been investigating Franke for nearly a year on suspicion of illegal use of drugs.

Public prosecutor Hannes Grunseisen said: "The defendant is accused of treating blood from athletes with ultraviolet light before returning it to the individual’s body. There is a justified suspicion of illegal use of medical products for doping purposes."

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