PyeongChang/Neumarkt in the Oberpfalz, 2 February 2018 – A severe cold in the middle of a competition at the Olympics - what can be done to treat it without being suspected of doping? A simple question, but one that is frequently asked by the 180 athletes in the German Olympic Sports Confederation team. The medication must be effective, but not included on any of the red lists. This is why the German Olympic team physicians have been relying on medicinal products with herbal active ingredients for many years, also at the Olympic Games. This is also the case at the XXIII. Winter Olympics (9th -25th February) in PyeongChang, South Korea. "Olympians want to recover quickly from a cold.
This is where our natural remedies are advantageous as, in addition to their proven efficacy, there are no concerns in relation to doping", declares the pharmacist Prof. Dr Michael A. Popp, CEO and proprietor of Bionorica SE in Neumarkt, Bavaria. This naturally also includes some of the well-known herbal preparations produced by Bionorica, like Sinupret.
The Chief Physician appointed for the Olympics by the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB) and his team of doctors had already had good experiences with using phytotherapy and Bionorica medicinal products at earlier Olympics, states Popp.
Supply of medicinal products to the Olympic Village ascertained
The 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang includes 102 competitions that will take place in seven types of sports and 15 disciplines. While our biathletes, Nordic combined athletes and also the ski jumpers are fighting for medals, 18 doctors and 25 physiotherapists will be working in the background for the German Olympic team. They will be helping around 180 athletes and about 150 advisors and coaches. The medical care unit in the Olympic Village will also provide treatment for politicians, media representatives and VIPs who have travelled to the Olympics. The 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang will be followed by competition between the best global para-athletes in the 12th Winter Paralympics, who will also have access to Bionorica's natural remedies.
Herbal preparations not suspect in relation to doping
According to the NADAmed Medication Database(1), which can be referred to by athletes when they are ill, and the WADA Anti-Doping Code(2), the active ingredients in natural remedies are permitted during competition and can therefore be taken by the German athletes without any concerns that they might be suspected of doping.
The Bionorica medicines that the Chief DOSB Olympic Physician has ordered are: Sinupret® eXtract tablets, Bronchipret® syrup, Bronchipret® Thyme pastilles, Imupret® N coated tablets, Sinupret® forte tablets, Sinupret® drops, Tonsipret® tablets, Tonsipret® drops, Allunapret® tablets, Canephron® N coated tablets and Rinupret® nasal care spray.
Sources:
1) https://www.nada.de/de/nc/medizin/nadamed/ NADAmed Medication Database of the National Anti- Doping Agency (NADA) in Bonn – data retrieved on 11 December 2017
2) WADA – The World Anti-Doping Code. The 2017 Prohibited List. International Standard. 01/01/2017