An Uzbekistan trainer caught with human growth hormone at Sydney airport needed it for a certified medical condition and has since been hospitalised, Uzbeki Olympic officials said yesterday.

Since the seizure of his medicine "samatotropine" last Thursday, Sergei Voynov (45), has been admitted to a Sydney hospital suffering chest pains said Uzbekistan Olympic Committee president Sabirjan Ruziev.

Ruziev said Voynov voluntarily went to customs with the drug, which is a prohibited import and used to treat a skin disorder called "totalis alopecium", which had left him bald.