TWO Russian medallists and a Lithuanian were disqualified from the Olympic Games yesterday after testing positive for a black market drug experts have never previously been able to detect.
Andrei Korneyev of Russia was stripped of his bronze medal for the 200 metres breaststroke. His compatriot Zafar Guleyev lost his 48kg Greco-Roman wrestling bronze.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) named the third athlete as Lithuania's Rita Razmaite, who was 13th in the women's track cycling sprint race.
All three were found to have used the stimulant Bromantan, which can also be used to hide the use of other banned drugs. "It appears to be a new drug," said IOC spokeswoman Michele Verdier.
It is the first time it has been discovered at an Olympic Games and drug experts fear it is in widespread use. Swimming, in particular, has been hit by a wave of positive tests in the past two years and rumours of doping have intensified in Atlanta.
IOC medical commission chief Prince Alexandre de Merode warned last Friday that medal winners in Atlanta could be using undetectable drugs bought on the black market. He said one, which he refused to identify, had the combined effect of a stimulant, anabolic steroid and masking agent.
"But we hope to bring in foolproof testing procedures very shortly," he said.
"At present it can only be found on the black market. When we became aware of it we immediately set up lab trials and we hope to be able to shortly put it on the banned list."
Nick Gillingham of Britain, fourth behind Korneyev, should now get the medal won by the Russian while North Korea's Kang Yong lost to Guleyev in the wrestling semi-finals and should get the bronze.
The international federations for the sports concerned will make the final decision over the medals.