Doping and sports - 1962

1962

In Austria a doping committee was started.

The anabolic steroid with nandrolone decanoate appeared on the market

Athletics

Russian athlete Maria Itkina (1932-) improved the world record 400m for the fourth time. Later it was known that she had done it with the help of anabolic steroids.

Football

Seven football players from 'Inter Milan', 'AC Bologna' and 'AC Mantua' tested positive during a doping test in April 1962. They were suspended for two games. Franco Zaglio (1936-) of 'Inter Milan' was even banned from the selection for the World Cup.

One month later, Luigi Radice (1935-) of 'AC Milan' was caught, he got a fine.

Cycling

In 1962, 47.6% of the cyclists tested positive for amphetamines in Italy.

Pierre Chany (1922-1996), cycling journalist for the French newspaper 'l'Equipe', was the author of the sensational book 'Pierre Chany, l'homme aux 50 Tours de France', in which he told he had asked a French Professor to analyze a product. According to the Professor, it turned out to be the very strong amphetamine medethrin.

"This is a dangerous product,I prescribe five milligrams after a trepanation in case of a long coma."

On which Chany asked him what happened when fifteen milligrams were used.

"Then the person dies,"

was the lakonic response of the Prof, to which Chany replied with a smile:

"I have diner three times a week with a guy who daily needs fifteen milligrams."

In 1962, during the race Luchon-Carcassonne of the Tour de France, twelve cyclists of the team Wiels/Groene Leeuw suddenly became ill. 'Spoiled fish' was the explanation, but tour doctor Pierre Dumas (1920-2000) suspected they all had received the same product from their soigneur. Hans Junkermann (1934-) became ill at night, causing the start to be delayed by ten minutes. On the first hill, however, the German had to get off the bike and sat down in the grass.

"I ate spoiled fish last night," he told the bystanders.

That same day eleven other riders left the Tour, including Belgian Willy Schroeders (1932-2017), Italian Gastone Nencini (1930-1980), and German Karl-Heinz Kunde (1938-2018).

Jacques Goddet (1905-2000) wrote after the incident that he suspected doping, but that he had no evidence for it. However none of the hotels had served fish the night before.

In an interview with 'Le Miroir du Sport', French former rider and later sports director Rafael Geminiani (1925-) announced his opinion about doping.

"I do not like the word doping, we prefer to talk about stimulants, that term is more correct, it's normal for cyclists to take stimulants. The physicians even recommend them. There are products that are not harmful at all, but they do balance.
I drove the Tour de France 12 times and a large number of one-day races, I took stimulants. Under medical supervision. "