winning, but in the end it was the athletes who lost, even though they brought home Olympic medals. That’s the frightening and fascinating story told in Faust’s Gold ($23.95, St. Martin’s Press). The book by Steven Ungerleider, Ph.D. paints a graphic picture of the brutal efficiency that made East German athletes into champions while leaving some with deformed children and many with permanent psychological and physical damage. Recent German dopingtrials revealed that during the 1970s and 1980s, more than 10,000 athletes were subjected to a statesponsored doping scheme. Known as Planning Theme 14.25, the scheme was conducted in alliance with the Stasi, the secret police. In this scheme, many athletes, especially young ones, did not know they were being drugged. Most accepted that the bluepills, the innocent “color of robins’ eggs” were vitamins instead of steroids. Some of the athletes quit when their bodies began making worrisome changes. Others learned of the doping in retrospect and offered to return their medals. But others continued taking the pills even when their voices deepened, their body hair grew profusely and their ability expanded along with their muscles. The price was high. “There were many tragedies,” said Ungerleider, who has worked in sports medicine since the 1970s. “Many women developed cancer, heart disease and depres- INSIDE THE EAST GERMAN DOPING MACHINE @ Steven UNGERLEIDER, Pu.D. For some, Olympic glory came at too high a cost, says a new book. sion. Also, many babies were born deformed and someof the athletes committed suicide.” To win, says Ungerleider, East Germany created “monsters” in the nameofideology. Ungerleider’s book also adds to the growing suspicion that the International Olympic Committee knew about the systematic doping but looked the other way. His book weavesall these elements into the complex tapestry of the politicized modern Olympics. The story of the dopingtrials is part of a larger one, says Ungerleider, and one that must be addressed before Olympic glory can be restored. The book is sold wherever booksare sold.
