Germans 'doped' for 1954 victory
Source: Agencies |
October 28, 2010, Thursday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
WEST Germany's 1954 World Cup-winning team, feted as the men who helped put a nation back on its feet after World War II, may have been boosted by a secret doping program, according to a university study.
Germany upstaged favorites Hungary 3-2 in the final in Switzerland in a victory that became known as the "Miracle of Berne", giving the war-weary nation cause for cheer.
"There are several strong indications that point to the injection of (methamphetamine) pervitin in some Germany players and not vitamin C as it was claimed," sports historian Erik Eggers, who conducted the study as part of a team at Humboldt University in Berlin, said.
Pervitin was a known stimulant at the time and had also been distributed to German soldiers in World War II. Team officials had said they had injected their players only with vitamin C during the tournament. No drugs tests were conducted at the time.
Eggers has been studying this case for some years and his report forms part of a wider project called 'Doping in Germany', launched by the country's sports authorities to investigate its doping past.
"Pervitin was at that time widely used in many sports and amphetamines were said to be also used by South America players," Eggers said. "What is suspicious is that these injections to German players were distributed secretly and the only reason they became known was because those who got injected contracted jaundice. The most important indication, though, is that vitamin C is not injected."
Hungary had demolished the Germans 8-3 in the tournament's group stage, making West Germany's final win all the more surprising.
Germany upstaged favorites Hungary 3-2 in the final in Switzerland in a victory that became known as the "Miracle of Berne", giving the war-weary nation cause for cheer.
"There are several strong indications that point to the injection of (methamphetamine) pervitin in some Germany players and not vitamin C as it was claimed," sports historian Erik Eggers, who conducted the study as part of a team at Humboldt University in Berlin, said.
Pervitin was a known stimulant at the time and had also been distributed to German soldiers in World War II. Team officials had said they had injected their players only with vitamin C during the tournament. No drugs tests were conducted at the time.
Eggers has been studying this case for some years and his report forms part of a wider project called 'Doping in Germany', launched by the country's sports authorities to investigate its doping past.
"Pervitin was at that time widely used in many sports and amphetamines were said to be also used by South America players," Eggers said. "What is suspicious is that these injections to German players were distributed secretly and the only reason they became known was because those who got injected contracted jaundice. The most important indication, though, is that vitamin C is not injected."
Hungary had demolished the Germans 8-3 in the tournament's group stage, making West Germany's final win all the more surprising.
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