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Clenbuterol in livestock farming may affect results of doping controls in sport

Date:
April 17, 2013
Source:
Wageningen University and Research Centre
Summary:
The illegal use of clenbuterol in livestock farming may affect the results of doping controls in sport, a new study concludes.
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The illegal use of clenbuterol in livestock farming may affect the results of doping controls in sport. This is the conclusion of a study by the Institute of Food Safety, RIKILT Wageningen UR, Netherlands, in partnership with fellow institutes.

At the behest of FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association), RIKILT examined 47 meat and food samples. All originated from hotels in Mexico where football teams stayed during the U-17 World Cup. In 14 of these samples, the growth promoter clenbuterol was found.

A different institute studied 208 urine samples from footballers staying at the hotels in question and found clenbuterol in 109 of them. Only five of the 24 teams which had provided urine samples tested negative for the presence of clenbuterol. At least one of those teams had been put on a strict non-meat diet.

FIFA launched its investigation into possible problems with food contamination in connection with doping tests in 2011, prompted by five positive doping tests involving clenbuterol in members of the Mexican national football team during out-of-competition doping tests.

The study demonstrates that clenbuterol in meat for human consumption causes major problems when eaten by top athletes who are registered in national and international doping control systems. As such, there is an urgent need for government action to combat the illegal use of clenbuterol in livestock farming worldwide.

Banned

The use of clenbuterol in livestock farming is banned in the entire European Union. This prohibition also applies to all meat exporting countries selling meat products in the markets of the EU member states.


Story Source:

Materials provided by Wageningen University and Research Centre. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.


Journal Reference:

  1. Mario Thevis, Lina Geyer, Hans Geyer, Sven Guddat, Jiri Dvorak, Anthony Butch, Saskia S. Sterk, Wilhelm Schänzer. Adverse analytical findings with clenbuterol among U-17 soccer players attributed to food contamination issues. Drug Testing and Analysis, 2013; DOI: 10.1002/dta.1471

Cite This Page:

Wageningen University and Research Centre. "Clenbuterol in livestock farming may affect results of doping controls in sport." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 17 April 2013. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/04/130417114010.htm>.
Wageningen University and Research Centre. (2013, April 17). Clenbuterol in livestock farming may affect results of doping controls in sport. ScienceDaily. Retrieved March 18, 2024 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/04/130417114010.htm
Wageningen University and Research Centre. "Clenbuterol in livestock farming may affect results of doping controls in sport." ScienceDaily. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/04/130417114010.htm (accessed March 18, 2024).

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