Sports Medicine Society Emphasizes Anti-Doping Efforts

Munich – The German Society for Orthopedic-Traumatologic Sports Medicine (GOTS), at its annual congress in Munich in August 2009, highlighted the crucial role of sports physicians in the fight against doping. The society states that the misuse of medications and medical methods for performance enhancement in competitive sports, as well as for unnatural muscle building in recreational activities, is more widespread than positive doping tests suggest.

While the exposure of successful high-performance athletes and investigative successes by state authorities have drastically highlighted the extent of drug abuse, GOTS emphasizes that, beyond ethical considerations of fairness, the safety of athletes and the environment must be considered, especially with the development of new doping methods like gene doping. The society supports the anti-doping criteria established by the German Medical Association (Bundesärztekammer) and the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB). These criteria require sports physicians to, among other things, be familiar with current anti-doping rules, support doping prevention measures, educate on health risks associated with doping, and be cautious regarding dietary supplements.

According to GOTS, the primary task of a sports physician is to maintain athlete health and promote health-conscious sports. This requires maintaining a critical distance and not being financially dependent on or rewarded by athletic success. The society has previously collaborated with the Association of Sports Physicians (Verband der Verbandsärzte) on joint training initiatives to advance anti-doping efforts. GOTS also organized a symposium in Berlin in August 2009 for physicians and physiotherapists in conjunction with the World Athletics Championships, focusing on orthopedic and sports traumatology aspects of various athletics disciplines.