German winter sports are shaken by the doping message around Olympic champion Victoria Carl. In the Sport1 interview, doping expert Fritz Sörgel assesses the situation.
German winter sports have been shaken by a potentially large scope this week: Ski-length Olympic champion Victoria Carl was tested positively for the forbidden agent clenbuterol during a doping control.
According to a Bundeswehr doctor, the overall World Cup second of the past season has been given a coughing aid with the forbidden substance.
How is the case to be assessed? And how likely is the Thuringian, obviously battered by the situation, around a longer lock? Sport1 asked the Nuremberg pharmacologist Professor Fritz Sörgel, one of the best-known German anti-doping experts.
Sport1: Mr. Sörgel, how do you rate the Victoria Carl case?
Fritz Sörgel: This case really has to be classified in a very own category. In itself, there are often cases where the excuse is used: the evil doctor has prescribed this medication and I didn’t even know what was in it. But here it is much more special: Here the athlete can actually say that the medical system with a sworn troop doctor simply did not work at any time. In this case, pushing on the doctor actually does not seem to be an excuse.
Sport1: You speak that the system did not work. What did you think went wrong?
Sörgel: On the one hand, the pharmacy is not said to have delivered the simple form of the medication, in which only the harmless and non -prescription active ingredient ambroxol is, but the prescription Spasmo Mucosolvan, in which the clenbuterol to be taken to the doping agent is also located. Then there is also the fact that the case happened at the military games and therefore not the normal sports doctors of the DSV were responsible, but a military doctor who apparently became less familiar with the doping regulations.
Sport1: In the drug administered, the forbidden substance clenbuterol was present. Is this imperative?
Sörgel: The dose clearly depends. With a suitable dosage, clenbuterol can have a performance-enhancing effect, so it was already on the first wada ban from 2004. In the Spasmo Mucosolvan tablet, there are 20 micrograms of it. This has no performance -enhancing effect. If you take three times instead of the 20 micrograms, then you can expect an effect as a fat burner and so the muscle mass increases relative to the fat mass. This is promoting performance. In even higher dose, about ten times the case available here, it is simply a normal anabolic. That is why everyone, if he is a doctor or in a different way, must be responsible for a top athlete, know that Clenbuterol is a forbidden substance.
Sport1: The main debt is the doctor who prescribed the medication?
Sörgel: The doctor actually bears the main debt in this case. Of course, he may have never had to do with an athlete as a military doctor. But he should already be clear: if he treats a high-performance athlete who also won World Cup and Olympic medals, then he has to take a closer look at what he gives her for a medication. As an administered doctor, he is responsible and if he has an athlete in front of him, such an administration is simply not excusable.
Sport1: How can it still happen that a doctor prescribes such a medication that is not allowed?
Sörgel: The problem was obvious that Victoria Carl had this competition cough, a cough that is much worse than the normal cough that can be combated very quickly with simple cough juice. Sometimes only stronger medicine helps against this competition cough. Maybe that’s why the doctor has ordered this remedy without much ulterior motives. But it is bitter that this remedy is clearly on the anti-doping list. It may well be that the doctor did not think far enough and simply prescribed a remedy that helps quickly. If he had never dealt with athletes, it can quickly slip through that the means is not suitable for them. But I could also imagine that there was a misunderstanding in consultation with the pharmacy and that he meant the Mucosolvan without Clenbuterol, but got the combination with Clenbuterol.
Sport1: How would that have expired?
Sörgel: It could be that the pharmacy did not have the desired drug available and therefore delivered a replacement product. You can do that outside of sport, but in sports it can lead to a catastrophe, because the similar remedy is suddenly on the anti-doping list. Perhaps the military doctor has also requested this means because the standard version for the competition cough is not very helpful. If the person concerned had not been a competitive athlete, the type of treatment would have been normal therapy. The alarm bells should actually ring in the drug Spasmo Mucosolvan. Of course, it is not clear on the packaging that it is equivalent to Clenbuterol directly, but the connection in itself is still quite clear.
Sport1: The alarm bells should have ringed in such an experienced athlete like Victoria Carl, right?
Sörgel: Actually, everyone can use a cell phone to check for all medication nowadays whether they are prohibited or not. Based on the so -called Wada ban – list that has existed since 2004. Of course, it is sometimes difficult to see with the medical terms, but overall you can find countless documents with some work where you can see whether taking the drug can be dangerous or not. Nevertheless, at Victoria Carl I have the feeling that she really simply rely on her doctor and that she was not aware of the mistake.
Sport1: So you believe Carl’s presentation?
Sörgel: She really doesn’t seem to have thought about it. It even entered the medication correctly on the control sheet, which is filled in during the urine test and on which every substance taken must be listed. That already speaks for them. Of course she could have looked at the tablet box or could have just compare the lists, but she will have trusted the doctor too much.
Sport1: As is well known, ignorance does not protect against punishment. Which lock do you expect?
Sörgel: The principle that ignorance protects against punishment is no longer true. It was like this for a long time, the “strict liability” was called: every athlete and only he himself is responsible for what can come into his body. However, this rule has been softened for several years, also by the International Sports Court CAS in Lausanne. Athletes have already been acquitted or with a small punishment that had a significantly more debt than Victoria Carl. For example, I remember the Jannik Sinner case, which was only blocked for three months. In the best case, I expect a lock of six months, but up to two years are conceivable.
Sport1: A crucial difference with a view to the Olympic Games in February, a little more than six months.
Sörgel: Yes, you don’t say exactly whether a lock would mean the Olympic-out. The case has been known internally since the end of May and the DSV seems to be completely behind it. As long as the association does not block it, it must first be waited for the NADA, but it has to block it according to her usual approach. The lock could be two years, but also less, as the Sinner case showed. His three months of lock were just scheduled that he was not closed to his most important competitions. Victoria Carl can object to the decision of a lock, however long. However, it usually takes a very long time before the verdict was pronounced. During this time she can take part in competitions and this could make a participation in the Olympics. This would put the same and highly successful tactics as the handball goalkeeper Nikola Portner (editor’s note: handball goalkeeper of SC Magdeburg), who, in my view, still plays clear doping offenses. Overall, she just has to sell her story well with possible court hearings. In many cases you can see what is sometimes possible before the CAS. She has to tell a story that is not a bit worse than that of Portner and Sinner.
German Winter Sports Are Shaken by the Doping Report Surrounding Olympic Champion Victoria Carl. In the Sport1 Interview, Doping Expert Fritz Sörgel Assesses the situation.
German Winter Sports Have Been Shaken This Week by a Doping Revelation with Potential Far-Reaching Consequences: Cross-Country Skiing Olympic Champion Victoria Carl Tested Positive For the Prohibited Substance Clenbuterol in A Doping Test.
Accord to her own account, The Runner-Up in Last Season’s Overall World Cup Was Given A Cough Medicine Containing the Prohibited Substance by a Bundeswehr Doctor. She faces a Ban that Could Cost Her Participation in the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy.
How Should the Case Be Assessed? And how likely is it that the Thuringian, who is visily battered by the situation, will avoid a longer ban? Sport1 Asked Nuremberg Pharmacologist Professor Fritz Sörgel, One of the Most Well-Known German Anti-Doping Experts.
Sport1: Mr. Sörgel, How do you assess the Victoria Carl Case?
Fritz Sörgel: This Case Really Needs to Be Classified in Its Own Category. In itself, there are often cases where the excuse is used: the evil doctor prescribed this medication to me and i had no idea what in it. But here it is even more Special: here, the athlete can actualy say that the medical system, which can be traced at any time, Simply Did not work with a sworn troop doctor. In This Case, Blaming the Doctor does not Actually Seem to be excuse.
SPORT1: You mention that the system Didn’t Work. What do you think went Wrong?
Sörgel: On the One Hand, The Pharmacy Should not Have Supplied the Simple Form of the Drug, which only Contains the Harmless and Non-Prescription Active Ingredient Ambroxol, But the Prescription-Only Spasmo Mucosolvan, which is contains Classified as a doping Agent. In addition, The Case Happened at the military games and Therefore the Normal Sports Physicians of the DSV Were Not Responsible, But a Military Doctor Who Apparently Knew Less About The Doping Regulations.
Sport1: The Prohibited Substance Clenbuterol was that present in the Administry Medication. Is this Necessarily performance enhancing?
Sörgel: It Clearly Depends on the can. At a suitible can, Clenbuterol can have a performance-enhancing effect, which is why it was already on the first wada list of prohibited substance from 2004. The spasmo mucosolvan tablet contains of it. That has no performance enhancing effect. But if you take threees the 20 micrograms, you can expect to effect as a fat burner and the muscle mass increate relative to the fat mass. That is performance enhancing. In an Even Higher Dose, Approximately ten Times the Amount in this Case, it is Simply a normal anabolic steroid. Therefore, Everyone, Whether they are a doctor or Responsible for a top athlete in some other way, should know that clenbuterol is a prohibited substance.
Sport1: The Doctor Who Prescredbed the Medication Bears the Main Blame?
Sörgel: The Doctor Probably Does Bear the Main Blame in this Case. Of course, it is possible that he has never deal with an athlete before as a military doctor. But he should be clear: if he is treating a high-performance athlete who has so Won World Championship and Olympic Medals, then he has to take a close look at what medication he is giving. As the Administry Doctor, He Bears the Responsibility and if he has an athlete in Front of Him, Search Administration is Simply Inexcusable.
Sport1: How Can It Still Happen That A Doctor Prescribe Search for Unauthorized Medication to a Competitive Athlete?
Sörgel: The problem what obviously that Victoria Carl Had this Competition Cough, a Cough that is Much Worse than the normal Cough that can be treated very quickly with simple cough syrup. Sometimes only stronger medicine helps against this competition cough. Perhaps that is Why the Doctor Ordered This Remedy Without Much Thought. But it is bitter that this remedy is clearly on the anti-doping list. It is quite possible that the doctor not think far enough and Simply Prescrans a remedy that helps Quickly. If he has never deal with athletes before, it can quickly slip through through that the remedy is not suitible for them. I Could so imagine that there was a misunderstanding in the agree with the pharmacy and he meant the mucosolvan Without Clenbuterol, but got the combination with clenbuterol.
SPORT1: How would that have happened Specifically?
Sörgel: It is possible that the pharmacy did not have the desired medication Available and Therefore Supplied a Substitute Product. This can be Done Outside of Sports, But in Sports, It Can Lead to a Catastrophe Because the Similar Remedy is then suddenly on the anti-doping list. Perhaps The Military Doctor Requested Exactly This Remedy Because the Standard version is not very helpful for the Competition Cough. If the person affected had not been a competitive athlete, the type of treatment would have bees a complete therapy. The Alarm Bells Should Actually Be Ringing for the Drug Spasmo Mucosolvan. Of course, it is not clear -stated on the packaging that it is Directly Equivalent to Clenbuterol, but in itself the Connection is still Quite Quite.
Sport1: The Alarm Bells Should Actually Have Been Ringing for Search for Experiened Athlete as Victoria Carl, Shouldn’t They?
Sörgel: Actually, Anyone With A Cell Phone Can Check Nowadays for All Medications Whether they are prohibited or not. Based on the so-Called Wada List of Prohibited Substance, which has existed Since 2004. Of Course, it is sometimes Difficult to See Through the Medical Terms, but overall you can find Countless Docents with a Little Work That Show Whether Taking The Medication Can Be Dangerous or not. Nevertheless, I have the feeling with Victoria Carl that She Really Just Relied on Her Doctor and the Mistake was not aware to her.
Sport1: So you Believe Carl’s statement?
Sörgel: she does not Seem to have given it any thought at all. She Even Correctly Entered the Medication on the Control Form that is filled out during the urine test and on which every substance Taken must be listed. That Speaks in Favor. Of Course, She Could Have Looked at the Pill Box Or Compared the Lists, but she Trusted the Doctor Too Much.
Sport1: Ignorance is no excuse for the law, as is well known. What Ban Do You Expect?
Sörgel: The Principle that Ignorance Protects Against Punishment is actual no Longer Rock-Solid. It was like that for a long time, it was Called “Strict Liability”: Every athlete and only He Himelf is Responsible for what gets Into his body. However, This Rule Has Been Softed for Several Years Now, i.e. by the International Court of Arbitration for Sport Cas in Lausanne. Athletes have already been acquitted or given only a small penalty who have bees much more at fault Than Victoria Carl. I remember here, for example, the case of Jannik Sinner, who was only only banned for Three Months. In the Best Case, I Expect A Ban of Six Months, But Up To Two Years is Conceivable.
Sport1: a crucial difference with regard to the Olympic Games in February, ie a little more than six mons.
Sörgel: Yes, you can’t Say Exactly Whether a Ban would make the end of the Olympics. The Case Has Now Been Known Internally Since the End of May and the DSV SEEMS to Be Completely Behind. As long as the association does not ban her, we must first wait for the nada, which must ban her according to its usual procedure. The Ban Could Be Two Years, but so Less, as the Sinner Case Has Shown. His three month ban was timed just that that he was not banned for his most important competitions. Victoria Carl Can Appeal to the Cas Against The Decision of a Ban of Any Lenggth. It usually takes a very long time for a judgment to be announced. During this time she is allowed to particular in Competitions and she Could Achiev Such Participation in the Olympics. This would put her in the same and Highly Successful Tactics as Handball Goalkeeper Nikola Portner (Editor’s Note: Handball Goalkeeper of SC Magdeburg), Who is still playing today what I see as a clear doping offense. Overall, she just has to sell Her Story Well in Possible Court Hearings. You can see in many cases what is sometimes possible before the CAS. She has a story to tell that is no worse Than Portner’s and Sinner’s.