Food safety not an issue for visiting athletes

BEIJING - Foreign athletes need not worry about food safety in China, and the consumption of small amounts of steroid-tainted meat were unlikely to lead to positive drug tests, said Zhao Jian, deputy director of the China Anti-Doping Agency.

According to the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) of Germany, a recent study has shown an increased risk in Mexico and China of unintentional doping with the prohibited bodybuilding substance clenbuterol, which is often used to speed up growth and increase muscle mass in animals.

NADA Germany therefore recommended that athletes visiting China be very cautious about eating in these countries. The consumption of meat products should be avoided as far as possible.