Dutch TV discussion on the Doping ScandalIn the Dutch news-tv-show Netwerk (Wednesday Night), Italian doping-expert Donati was interviewed by a Dutch reporter. Donati says:"I heard from one of the makers of products of EPO that they registered 18 dead victims in 1994. I spoke to many riders, profs and amateurs. They all told me: without EPO it is impossible to win. You can't deny that EPO has effects. In almost all countries they use it: Italy, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, The United States and - I believe - in Australia too. The problem is that the anti-doping systems can't detect the modern drugs like EPO". Netwerk said: "Presumably, there were two victims in the Netherlands: Bert Oosterbosch in 1989 and Johannes Draaijer in 1990. Sports doctor M. Kartsen from Haarlem/Holland said: "I will not be surprised when sports people die in the near future. The biggest problem is the combination of EPO and, for example, growth hormones. In every sport, you hear the same thing now, that top sporting performances are not possible anymore without drug assistance. The financial interest is so big.... Can you win the Tour de France without doping? No, I think not." The well known cycle-reporter Jean Nelissen said: ' "EPO is a big problem in the sport. Especially in Italy. They use it in Holland too, but i can't give you names. Because you can't prove it. You can't detect EPO yet. You need at least 1.5 liters of urine to find it." Team leader of the Rabo-team, Theo de Rooij, said: "We don't use it in our team. We will join the meeting next Friday with all the team leaders of all the teams. We will promote a plan to look for better control-systems." |