West Germany also engaged in systematic doping of athletes

[Teacher]

Looks to me like the doping of athletes was/is a worldwide problem, not something only the evil commies did.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/09/sports/west-germany-engaged-in-sports-doping-in-1970s-study-says.html?ref=global-home


When the Berlin Wall fell in 1989, so did the secrecy around a pervasive, state-sponsored system of doping in communist East Germany known by the Orwellian euphemism of “Supporting Means.”

More than two decades later, a newly published study has revealed that West Germany also began engaging in a government-financed plan in the 1970s to boost athletic achievement through the use of banned performance-enhancing drugs.

Although the West German government did not run its program top-down as in East Germany, the study indicated the West Germans engaged in systematic doping. It described experimentation with steroids on boys as young as 11, along with such odd and dubious methods as trying to enhance buoyancy in swimmers by injecting air into their colons.

[Sinister Cultural Marxist]

"West Germans did it, so now we know it was ok that the GDR did it!"

[Teacher]

"West Germans did it, so now we know it was ok that the GDR did it!"

That is exactly what I said.

[tuwix]

Looks to me like the doping of athletes was/is a worldwide problem, not something only the evil commies did.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/09/sports/west-germany-engaged-in-sports-doping-in-1970s-study-says.html?ref=global-home

First of all, the ruling party in the East Germany wasn't communist in its ideology. It was party of the state capitalism bureaucrats.
Secondly, the East Germany have been more efficient in doping. But I find acussing of doping ridiculous. The most of professional athletes are engaged in doping and gest caught only those who are too clumsy to hide it.

[KurtFF8]

"West Germans did it, so now we know it was ok that the GDR did it!"

I don't think anyone will say that, but you have to contextualize this story: the "evils" of "Communism" in the East are often contrasted to the goods of the West, and this particular case of the "evil act" of the East is itself understood as evil in part by Cold War propaganda contrasting it to the good of the West. So when it now comes out that the West was doing something quite similar, the Cold War narrative is exposed as nonsense.

That doesn't excuse the doping in the East whatsoever and any Marxist should oppose that kind of practice. But this article is still important to combat the West's Cold War story.


First of all, the ruling party in the East Germany wasn't communist in its ideology. It was party of the state capitalism bureaucrats.

It was actually the Socialist Unity Party of Germany (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socialist_Unity_Party_of_Germany) which was not a "state capitalist party" but was essentially the continuation of the KPD which had pretty much swallowed up the SDP in the East. (Yes yes, I know the response will be that all of the Communists in the East were secretly just capitalists and all that)

[danyboy27]

Looks to me like the doping of athletes was/is a worldwide problem, not something only the evil commies did.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/09/sports/west-germany-engaged-in-sports-doping-in-1970s-study-says.html?ref=global-home

Olympics where always about nationalist ego boasting so, i am not verry surprised about your finding.

You shouldnt be surprised about the double standard of the west tho, Operation Paperclip and other dubious bullshit where common practice back then after all.