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Norway has long used asthma medication for its skiers.
Now comes new research that can change everything.
– They are all doped, thunders Russian national team coach Yuri Borodavko.
The use of asthma medication in cross-country skiing has long been a controversial and extremely sensitive topic. Norway has been heavily criticized in recent years because so many of their skiers take asthma medication continuously.
The Norwegian message
Many have argued that it should be classified as a performance enhancer and banned as doping. But according to the International Anti-Doping Organization, Wada, the Norwegian riders have not broken any rules.
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But now comes new research that can change everything. The Norwegian newspaper VG reported on a recent study during the Skiing World Championships which, according to information, should prove that asthma medication has a “significant performance-enhancing effect”.
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Russian giant rage
According to the study conducted on twelve healthy athletes, the asthma medication improved performance by up to three percent.
– In endurance sports, that difference is gigantic and can make the difference between victory and defeat, says Jürgen Steinackerwho was responsible for the research study at the University Hospital in Ulm, Germany.
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The new research into the effects of asthma medication has now sparked huge anger in Russia, who are currently banned from all international cross-country skiing.
– Everyone who has a medical exemption is a doper, including the asthmatics. They are all doped. The problem is that it is the anti-doping organizations that make this possible, says the Russian national team coach Yuri Borodavko to the Nia Rovost site.
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Norway’s national team doctor Ove Ferangen admits to the newspaper VG that 50-70 percent of the national team skiers in Norway have been diagnosed with asthma and therefore use medicine in connection with competitions. However, he is very skeptical about the new research.
– I doubt that this study will have any significance, says the Norwegian doctor in the interview.
– Previous research has, on the contrary, shown that asthma medication actually has no performance-enhancing effect. But it is clear, if new information emerges, Wada will have to look into the matter.
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