Doping and sports - 1984

1984

Doping in the GDR

In the 1990s, Marita Koch (1957-), gold in the 400m during the Olympic Games in 1980, used high doses of Oral-Turinabol between 1981 and 1984. Koch has always denied that use.

Bärbel Wöckel (1955-), in 1980 Olympic gold on the 200m and the 4 x 100m, allegedly also took high doses of Oral-Turinabol between 1983 and 1984. In addition, she was injected several times with testosterone. Wöckel avoided the public debate with the excuse that "it was so long ago". Strangely enough, she later led the youth section of the German athletics federation.

Also Marlies Göhr (1958-), in 1980 Olympic silver on the 100m and gold on the 4 x 100m, would have used high doses of Oral-Turinabol in 1983 and 1984. In 1989 she stopped her sports career and went to work in a hospital as a child psychologist.

There were indications that between 1982 and 1984 Heike Drechsler (1964-) received high doses of Oral-Turinabol and several injections of testosterone during the bridging period of important competitions. Drechsler filed a lawsuit against Brigitte Berendonk (1942-), who brought the case to rolling, but lost it. After the fall of the Wall, the full annual schedules on the doping use of Drechsler were found in the DDR archives.

Bodybuilding

In 1984, the first case of AIDS was reported in bodybuilders, they had shared the needle for injecting steroids.

Cycling

In 1984 Italian rider Francesco Moser (1951-) improved the world hour record of Belgian Eddy Merckx (1945-). In 1999 he confessed that he had used blood doping as preparation for that record attempt. Moser was helped by sports doctor Francesco Conconi (1935-) (right in the picture), although it should be mentioned that this form of doping was not illegal at that time.

In 1984, Roger Pingeon (1940-2017) declared to Télé 7 Journées:

"Those who say they have never taken anything are liars, all riders have doped at one time."

American rider Cindy Olavarri (1955-) was selected for the Los Angeles Olympic Games, but eventually did not compete. Initially it was said that she had mononucleosis, later it came to light that she had used anabolic steroids. As a result of this use she became addicted and suffered from depression and other side effects. At the end of her career she confessed:

"I knew that I had deceived everyone ... I looked at what I had in my hand and decided to take it, I knew that I lost my integrity, I saw people who had gained muscle mass through these intakes and was short-sighted, I wanted to get better as soon as possible."

Track and Field

Hungarian discus thrower János Faragó (1946-1984), who participated in the 1968 and 1976 Olympics, died of the effects of liver and kidney cancer, which was attributed to his anabolic use.

Weightlifting

Russian weightlifters Anatolij Pysarenko (1958-) and Alexander Kurlowitsch (1961-2018) were caught at the airport of Montreal in 1984 in the possession of anabolics. In addition to a fine from the Canadian government, they were also suspended for life, which was later reduced to three years. Kurlowitsch was caught doping again in 1995. He joined the German bundes league team SSV Samswegen, but tested positive during a match in Berlin. The world federation weightlifting did not care that much, because according to them national controls were irrelevant and the Germans actually intended to give their favorites Manfred Nerlinger (1960-) and Ronny Weller (1969-) in Atlanta more chance of winning an Olympic medal.