East Germans Allegedly Used Nasal-Spray Drug

Experts in East Germany developed a performance-enhancing nasal spray before the 1988 Olympic Games that had the same effect as anabolic steroids and was virtually undetectable, a leading swimmer alleged Tuesday.

Raik Hannemann, who Monday admitted taking performance-enhancing drugs, said traces of the drug’s use would disappear after three days.

Hannemann and other athletes accused former East German sports officials of developing a systematic doping program and of offering hard currency as an incentive for taking drugs.

Hannemann, writing in a bylined article for the Berliner Kurier am Abend newspaper, said the nasal spray was developed by East German sports doctors.