Scientist says Viagra abuse could taint the Games

SYDNEY: Next month's Beijing Olympics may be remembered more for the abuse of Viagra and other legal drugs among athletes, a leading Australian sports scientist said yesterday. Robin Parisotto, principal scientist involved in the development of a test for the banned blood booster EPO (erythroipoietin), said legal drugs including Viagra and psychological medicines also enhance athletic performance. The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) is considering including Viagra on its list of banned substances, but a decision will not be made until after this year's Olympics. “Beijing will probably be remembered for the abuse of legal drugs like Viagra,” Parisotto told ABC Radio. “Any physical activity that goes for longer than two minutes would be a beneficiary of something like Viagra, just like the normal blood-doping drugs.” Parisotto,... [read full story]