Doping for Gold – Drugs and East German sport State Plan 14.25 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VvKQ2kVBwTU

East/West Differences The abject economic failure of the Communist countries during the Cold War was a great disappointment to the Soviets and East European Communists. Marxist doctrine predicted that Socialism would be the wave of the future and create worker paradises. Economic failure was thus very difficult to explain. Ironically East Germany was the most economically successful of all the Soviet satellite states. The problem for the East Germans was that their successes paled in comparison to the West German economic miracle. And despite the Wall and attempts to keep out publications and broadcasts, the East Germans could receive West German TV and radio broadcasts knew about the differences. The East Germans thus sought to score public relations victories. The most notable effort was in sports.

Sports as a Propaganda of Success The communist government in the DDR (Deutsche Demokratische Republik) saw the sporting prowess of its citizens as a powerful propaganda tool and they were determined to achieve success by any means. Anabolic steroids produced at the state run pharmaceutical company . VEB Jenapharm were given to athletes without their knowledge.  This systematic doping coupled with very intensive training regimes produced spectacular results.

It was intended that competitors would cease using the steroids weeks before an event but the pay of coaches was determined by the success of their athletes so the temptation to continue the drug use was often too great. Rather than abandon the program, the athletics authorities in the DDR simply introduced pre-screening tests ahead of competitions – those who failed these tests did not compete.

State Plan 14.25 A secret program (B14-25) was conducted by East Germany’s sports federation, headed by Manfred Ewald. The program was monitored and the security maintained by the Ministry of State Security (Stasi). It was not as one might expect from a Communist country, an effort to bring the joy of sports to all children. Rather it was an effort to identify gifted children and to prepare them in elite schools, including boarding schools where they would not have to deal with parental interference. And then the East German authorities took it on step further--the administration of drugs including steroids to young athletics, many children just entering into puberty. Some were only 12-years old. This was done without the knowledge of the children (who thought they were receiving vitamins) or their parents

Any one who objected or asked questions was disciplined or kicked out of the program. A state pharmaceutical company developed the drugs and scientists and coaches developed the training protocols and drug dosages to achieve maximum results. The Stasi required the scientists, doctors, and coaches working in the program to sign confidentiality agreements.

Most of the children affected were girls because they competed at a younger age and the drugs had a greater enhancement impact on girls than boys. Over 10,000 East German athletes over the years were subjected to the drugs. East Germany was not the only Communist country to engage in doping, but they had the largest and most sophisticated program. Individual athletes in the West took drugs but not on the scale of the plan 14. 25

Pseudo Science The East Germans not only administered drugs as a matter of state policy, but they also had a sophisticated research program enabling them to elude the drug tests administered in international competitions. The results were spectacular. Easter German athletes beginning at the Montreal Olympics (1976) amazed the world. Tiny East Germany ranked second in gold medals behind the Soviet Union.

Outcomes Their success was especially notable with their young girl swimmers. Since the fall of the Berlin Wall (1989), some details on the East German program have become public. And many former athletes have reported serious health problems, especially the younger girls who received the drugs. This is an issue which the German Government today has little desire to pursue. The Government has financially compensated a handful of the athletes involved through Germany's Olympic Committee. After the Berlin Wall fell, some East German sports doctors moved to China whose athletes have

Results At the 1976 summer Olympics in Montreal East Germany won a total of 90 medals, including 40 golds, remarkable for such a small nation.   The medal haul of the women’s swim team was particularly outstanding, winning 11 of 13 events. State Plan 14.25 suffered a set back at the 1977 European Cup meeting in Helsinki when shot putter Ilona Slupianek failed a drug test.

Impact on Women Young women as you would expect showed the greatest improvements as a result of steroids and testosterone supplements but also suffered the most worrying changes to their bodies. The athletes involved in the doping program were closely monitored and doctors became aware of serious side affects – as well as the obvious lowering of the voice and abnormal hair growth, risks of heart and liver disease were greatly increased.

Documentary : Doping for Gold These risks were ignored and athletes whose bodies broke down were simply discarded. Doping For Gold features athletes who were doped without their knowledge including volleyball player, Katharina Bullin and swimmers, Ute Krause and Rica Reinisch and is a fascinating albeit disturbing documentary.