World Anti-Doping Agency Investigates Tainted Beef from China

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has reportedly requested information
from China concerning the country’s use of steroids in raising cattle after
some athletes blamed tainted beef for their positive drug tests. Noting that
he is awaiting a response from the Chinese minister for a “full explanation of
what happens in the industry,” WADA director general David Howman said,
“there seems to be some evidence that some beef in China may have been
stimulated in their growth by the use of steroids.”

A WADA-accredited lab in Cologne, Germany, apparently discovered that 22 of 28 returning travelers from China tested positive for low levels of agency-banned clenbuterol, a livestock-bulking substance that builds muscle and burns fat. In related developments, the Spanish cycling federation recently cleared the Tour de France champion who had blamed his positive clenbuterol test on contaminated meat from Spain, and a German table tennis player was cleared after blaming Chinese meat for his positive clenbuterol test. Although WADA dropped an appeal in the German case, Howman was quoted as saying that the agency was waiting to see if the International Cycling Union challenges the Spanish ruling before deciding whether to appeal on its own. See The Associated Press, February 22, 2011.