Muehlegg, Lazutina, Danilova Test Positive For NESP
By Erik Stange

February 24, 2002

At 2:00 local time, the IOC held a press conference. Francois Carrad, the IOC director, revealed the names of three athletes caught for doping in recent urine tests. Word of Johan Muehlegg's positive A-test had spread through the venue this morning prior to the start of the women's 30 km classic race. At the press conference it was revealed that Russian skiers Larissa Lazutina and Olga Danilova were also caught in a urine test. All three skiers were caught using darbepoetin alpha, or also known as NESP. All three athletes were caught from tests taken on February 21st, the day of the women's relay. Lazutina and Danilova were both allowed to compete today since the results of the tests were not available until 12:30 this afternoon, after the race had concluded.

NESP is another form of EPO, or a blood enhancer that increases the body's ability to carry oxygen to working muscles. NESP has all the same characteristics of EPO, yet is stays in the blood longer and the effect of the drug is delayed. NESP's manufacturer, Amgen, explains on its website that the product is intended for patients suffering from chronic anemia and those on dialysis. The product is sold under the names EPOGEN and Aranesp, and was approved for use by the FDA in September of last year. NESP's side effects include changes in blood pressure, diarrhea, headaches and infection. The diarrhea side effect is of particular interest in this case because Muehlegg insisted his stomach problems were why he had to provide two hemoglobin tests the morning of the 50 km to show a hemoglobin reading that was within legal limits.

Since it is such a new drug, it is actually not listed on the IOC list of banned substances. This caused some, including Olympic cross-country race director Bengt Erik Bengtsson, to publicly question whether the IOC would have the power to enforce any punishment on the athletes. Yet the IOC has stripped both Muehlegg and Lazutina of the medals they won in the last event they competed in, as well as disqualifying them from the remainder of the Olympic games. This means that Russian Mikahil Ivanov is now the champion of the 50 km, and Gabriella Paruzzi becomes the gold medal winner of the 30 km race. Based on the existing set of rules, however, the IOC does not have the power to revoke any of the other medals won by Muehlegg, Lazutina and Danilova during these Olympics. Doping expert Mats Garle of the Huddinge University Hospital in Sweden told the Swedish newspaper Aftonladet that it is highly unlikely that anyone caught using NESP would have used it just once. In order for the drug to have the desired effect it would have to be used for a period of four to six weeks.

One is lead to believe that the athletes caught today were benefiting from the drug's effect throughout the entire games, and it is our opinion that they should have all their 2002 Olympic medals stripped from them. The 'clean' athletes deserve the medals that they rightfully earned.

Sources: www.amgen.com, www.nettavisen.no