Drink ‘spiked’
NZPA-Reuter Seoul Alex Watson, expelled from the Olympic Games for drug-taking, said on Saturday that his drinks were spiked during the modem pentathlon. His allegations were supported by Willy Grut, the Swedish honorary secretary-general of the sport’s governing body, the U.1.P.M.8., and a former Olympic gold medallist. The Australian was sent home on Thursday after a random test showed he had an abnormally high level of caffeine in his urine after competing in 12 gruelling hours of fencing. He said he had drunk 10-12 cups of coffee dur-
ing competition. The Australian team leader, John Coates, said that level of caffeine could have come only from tablets or a suppository. Watson flew as far as Hong Kong then returned to Seoul to tell a press conference he believed caffeine tablets or powder had been slipped into drinks he carried with him into the fencing hall. Watson said he believed he knew who had spiked his drinks but declined to name the person. “It is fully possible that he deliberately got me banned from Olympic competition — it’s an incredible situation,” said the Australian who denied having taken drugs.
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Press, 26 September 1988, Page 22
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189Drink ‘spiked’ Press, 26 September 1988, Page 22
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