April 15, 2011
 

Mexico refutes clenbuterol issue in its beef

Pan-American Games hosts Mexico, on Thursday (Apr 14) together with China, denied there was a high clenbuterol content in its beef that could result in higher risk of inadvertent doping.

Germany's anti-doping agency NADA issued a report advising foreign athletes to avoid eating beef in the two countries, saying there was a higher risk of it containing the banned anabolic agent with the potential for failing doping tests.

Clenbuterol can be used to speed up and increase muscle mass in animals.

"For someone to say that seems very daring to us. We can give all our assurances to athletes they will not run any kind of risk with that substance in Mexico," said Octavio Carranza, head of the national health organisation, Senasica.

On Wednesday (Apr 13), Zhao Jian, deputy director of the China Anti-Doping Agency said that the NADA was over-reacting.

"We were surprised that an agency with prestige would make such statements. We have set up preventive measures to ensure there is no such consumption in our country," Carranza said.

Mexican Olympic Committee (COM) president Felipe Munoz said all food eaten by athletes in Mexico was certified and free of clenbuterol.

"We have not had any cases of beef contaminated with clenbuterol which is why these statements surprised us," he said.

COPAG, organisers of the Pan-American Games in the Mexican city of Guadalajara in October, were quick to allay the fears.

"Beef will be one of the foodstuffs we will check on a daily basis to ensure it is free of this substance and this will ensure that no athlete will have a problem," said COPAG's director of catering, Jose Agredano.