"So far the experts' report has not been detailed and specific enough about what we are accused of," Rothe said. "Jenapharm did produce Oral-Turinabol, but it was a market product in the GDR and a legal drug until 1995, so this does not clarify our responsibility for the cases of doping."

Investigations conducted after German reunification in 1990 showed some 600 athletes had been on a list of what the GDR government called the "supportive measures" programme.

From that number, researchers extrapolate that during the peak phase of doping between 1972 and 1989 some 8,000 to 9,000 athletes were on the programme.

"It is a fact that systematic doping was part of GDR sports," said Michael Schirp, spokesman for the German NOC.

In the Olympic Summer Games between 1972 and 1988, the GDR won 384 medals despite boycotting the 1984 Los Angeles Games. In three of the four Games in which it participated in that period, the GDR came second in the international medals table.