Highly sophisticated designer sport steroid discovered
After several elite track athletes were banned for using THG (tetrahydrogestrinone), scientists have now discovered another previously undetectable substance called desoxy-methyl-testosterone (DMT).
The announcement yesterday by World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) scientific director Olivier Rabin serves only to endorse the boast of Victor Conte, head of the BALCO laboratory, which federal investigators believe manufactured and distributed THG.
“You think it’s over just because they’ve indicted me?” Conte said last year. “Please. There’s a new version out there right now.”
“This is the second designer steroid we have found,” said WADA’s Olivier Rabin. “We believe this was created purely for doping in sport.”
The new steroid was created in a laboratory and would have a similar impact to testosterone, increasing strength, muscle bulk and stamina.
“This proves that THG was not a one-off,” Mr Rabin said.
Mr Conte, who is expected to go on trial in March, did not elaborate on his statement and it is not known whether or not he was referring to DMT.
As Don Catlin, head of the Olympic Analytical Laboratory which developed a test for THG, said last year: “The number of true, brand new, totally unknown designer drugs has just come of age because of BALCO.”
THG was discovered in 2003 after the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) received an anonymous tip-off from leading track coach Trevor Graham.
Graham, who did not reveal his identity until last August’s Athens Olympics, then sent a syringe of THG to USADA, which Catlin’s scientists determined was chemically related to the banned drug gestrinone.
After federal investigators raided BALCO, the US governing athletics body said US shot put champion Kevin Toth, women’s hammer champion Melissa Price, men’s hammer thrower John McEwen and middle-distance runner Regina Jacobs had tested positive for THG.
Price, McEwen and Toth were later banned for two years each, while Jacobs retired.
The two most prominent athletes to be suspended for taking THG have been double world sprint champion Kelli White and Britain’s European 100 metres champion Dwain Chambers, who were both suspended for two years for using the drug.
There are certain to be further casualties of the THG scandal this year.
Worryingly for WADA in its war against doping in sport, DMT is several generations ahead of THG, which was essentially a modification of a drug already in use.
“In this case, whoever made this drug had access to serious organic chemists. It is at a level of sophistication that we have not seen before,” said Christiane Ayotte, head of the Montreal laboratory which identified the new substance.
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
