FIG STATEMENT

Beijing (CHN) NIH FIG Office, August 15, 2008: The Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique (FIG) has taken note of sanctions issued against Vietnamese gymnast Ngan Thuong Do Thi, tested positive for Furosemide.

The FIG condemns doping practise in sports and has steadily increased preventive efforts and actions through information, education and, when necessary, sanctions, to foster a doping free sport.

FIG President Prof. Bruno Grandi (ITA) has taken a strong position on the issue. "I have long championed the issues of gymnast health and sport justice. I will not tolerate even the slightest divergence in either of these two very sensitive areas!" recently declared the President.

FIG medical authorities are all too familiar with the use of furosemide. Dr Michel Léglise (FRA), FIG Vice President and President of the Medical Commission, recently published a report on the substance, in which he writes:
"Furosemide is a category S5 diuretic, wholly prohibited both in and out of competition and whose presence in a urine sample warrants a severe sanction from the World Anti Doping Agency (WADA) and the withdrawal of medals and ranking, etc. Furosemide is not a doping substance in and of itself, rather it is a masking agent used to hide doping substances, including anabolic steroids, during testing. Indirect use of the substance sometimes points to poor, even dangerous, medical practise in which the drug is prescribed to lose weight through the elimination of water, particularly in the thighs and buttocks."

The FIG is particularly disappointed that this doping offense was committed by an athlete and a NOC who have received an invitational place (wild card) from the IOC Tripartite Commission.