February 16, 2011

 

German laboratory finds clenbuterol evidence in China's meat

 

 

A German doping laboratory has warned of the unintentional ingesting of clenbuterol through contaminated meat when travelling to China.

 

The study would support claims by Tour de France champion Alberto Contador and other athletes that their positive clenbuterol tests resulted from eating tainted meat. Contador blames his positive on eating Spanish beef during last year's Tour.

 

The Cologne lab, accredited by the World Anti-Doping Agency, said an investigation found that 22 out of 28 travellers returning to Germany from China tested positive for low levels of clenbuterol. The samples were tested between September 15 and January 15.

 

"The figures are most probably due to a food contamination problem, potentially caused by misuse of clenbuterol as growth promoter in stock-breeding," the lab said.

 

Clenbuterol is on WADA's list of banned substances as an anabolic agent that builds muscle and burns fat. It is also used by farmers to bulk up livestock. In China, in particular, clenbuterol's illegal use in farming is well documented.

 

The Cologne study offers the strongest proof yet that athletes can test positive inadvertently from food. It challenges WADA's principle of strict liability, which holds that athletes are responsible for all substances found in their body.

 

The study also raises questions about the dozens of Chinese athletes who have tested positive for clenbuterol in recent years.

 

Contador's samples were tested at the same Cologne lab that carried out the study. The Spaniard tested positive for trace levels of clenbuterol during a rest day on the way to winning his third Tour de France. He claims the result came from eating beef that was brought across the border from Spain.

 

The Spanish cycling federation proposed last month that Contador be handed a one-year ban, rather than the standard two-year penalty.

 

Contador's legal team submitted further evidence to the Spanish committee in a bid to prove he did not deliberately use clenbuterol and should face no punishment.

 

A final verdict from the Spanish federation was expected Tuesday (Feb 15).

 

The German table tennis federation recently decided not to ban Dimitrij Ovtcharov after he blamed his positive clenbuterol test on contaminated meat.