GERMANY: SWIMMING: EAST GERMAN CHAMPION PRESS CONFERENCE скачать в хорошем качестве

GERMANY: SWIMMING: EAST GERMAN CHAMPION PRESS CONFERENCE

(7 Nov 1997) German/Nat The former East German Olympic swimming champion Rica Reinisch has been speaking out about how her GDR coaches gave her anabolic steriods without her knowledge. Last month four former East German swimming coaches were charged with causing bodily harm after giving giving anabolic stereoids to 17 teenage girls under their tuition between 1974 and 1989. The coaches Rolf Glaeser, Volker Frischke, Dieter Lindemann and Dieter all worked with the GDR swim club SC Dynamo Berlin. One of the girls they trained was Reinische who went on win three gold medals at the 1980 Moscow Olympics. At the 1980 Moscow Olympics Rica Reinisch was a part of the powerful East German womens swimming team that won all but two of the gold medals on offer. Aged 15 Reinisch had an incredible games, winning three gold medals and setting four world records. Like many of her fellow swimmers Reinisch had been groomed for success from an early age by the state system. At the time there were rumours that drugs formed an important part of the GDR coaches training routines. Last month four former East German swimming coaches were charged with giving anabolic steroids to 17 teenage girls between 1974 and 1989. One of those effected was Rica Reinisch. She claims that she was given steroids without her knowledge by her coaches before and during the 1980 Moscow Olympics. SOUNDBITE: German "I was doped with Oralturinabol, with the little blue pills. I asked, what the little blue pills are, which were specially given to me, but not to the others of my training group. The answer was that it is for a better body regeneration, take them, they are good for you." SUPER CAPTION: Rica Reinisch: Former GDR Olympic Swimmer Following her success at the Olympics, Reinisch returned to East Germany as a hero of the state. But it was at this point that her health started to give her problems and at the age of just 15 she was forced to quit swimming. Reinisch has no doubts that her problems can be linked to the drugs she was given. SOUNDBITE: German "My immune system collapsed immediately after the 1980 Olympic games. After that I had one flu infection after another. I had ovary inflamations and three years later a inflamed kidney." SUPER CAPTION: Rica Reinisch: Former GDR Olympic Swimmer Reinisch is now waiting to discover what will happen to the four former GDR coaches. Two of those named Volker Frischke and Dieter Lindemann were employed by the German swimming organisation (DSV) after unification, but were sacked two days after the charges were made. The DSV believe that the wrong men are being blamed. SOUNDBITE: German "My position is that in the dock at the moment are the small fry. That means not the government who ordered it, the doctors who prescribed it, but the trainers who gave it to the athletes. If the trainer clearly knew that he could do bodily harm, and that has to be proved, I think he could be charged with illegal doping." SUPER CAPTION: Ulrich Paul: President, the Berlin Swimming Organization But the German courts believe the likes of Reinisch deserved better from the coaches that they trusted. The trial is due to take place early next year and the prosecution is cofident of getting a conviction. SOUNDBITE: German "There were many witnesses, especially the affected swimmers,who were asked about this. There were also many documents, which we examined and which were found in the library of the STASI. With the documents and the witnesses, the prosecutors have enough evidence to charge the four swimming coaches." Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...