Strobridge joins war on sport's drug cheats

A GUERNSEY woman is involved in pioneering worldwide research into human growth hormones in athletes - which could catch out drugs cheats with better testing. Former Island Games golden girl Gail Strobridge, who won multiple gold medals for Guernsey in the swimming pool, is enlisting the help of some of the island's top young sports stars in her research for the University of Southampton, where she is studying medicine.

About 50 islanders aged 12 to 20 from a range of sports including swimming, athletics, table tennis, football, sailing, squash, hockey and cricket, who have all played county standard and above, will provide blood samples confidentially.

'I'm coming back to Guernsey this weekend to take some samples and the response has been excellent. Everyone has been so encouraging and helpful,' said Strobridge yesterday.

'It's quite good coming back to Guernsey because it's an island and has not been hit by much research.'

The findings will be used to develop a test for doping with growth hormone in sport and the results will be presented at scientific meetings and published in peer-reviewed scientific journals.

The endocrinology sub-division of the University of Southampton is organising the study, which is being funded by the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada).

'The growth hormone is a substance that is heavily abused - in swimming and athletics they are hit very heavily. I hope it will cut down on the number of people cheating and make sports safer and fairer,' said Strobridge.

'Because Guernsey has been so supportive if the paper gets published they will get recognised for supporting it.'

Growth hormone levels are at their highest in adolescence and as many adolescent athletes compete at high levels they are including 12- to 18-year-olds in the study.

Peter Sonksen, a world leading expert on drugs in sport and a visiting professor at Southampton, has studied human growth hormone for more than 40 years. He has called for urgent action with the Beijing Olympics fewer than 10 months away and warned the current test was useless and would only catch a stupid athlete.

Strobridge is involved in the development of a methodology for detecting abuse with growth hormone in sport - undertaking a pilot study on adolescent GH levels.

'There is a drug test for growth hormone but it does not give as many positives as it should do - there are quite a few loopholes,' she said.

Growth hormone (GH) is a naturally occurring hormone. Its effects include an increase in lean body mass and decrease in fat mass. These properties have led to its abuse by athletes who inject GH to try and enhance their physical performance.

Abuse of GH is deemed undesirable because of the unfair competition that may ensue and also because the large uncontrolled doses of this hormone that are being used to put the recipient at considerable risk?

It is hoped the latest research will help to develop a test to detect GH use.

'My part of the work is to establish the normal levels of these two proteins in junior elite athletes. They are hoping to have established indicators and markers.

'I'm very grateful for the support I have received in Guernsey - it has been fantastic and has made a huge amount of difference.'

Strobridge praised the assistance of the likes of Graham Chester and Roy Martel and presidents and representatives of the various sports as well as the athletes for their help with the study.

Three doctors have also been instrumental in allowing the samples to be undertaken.

'I have also had quite a lot of support from Southampton Football Club, London Irish rugby team and GB Hockey.

'I'm very much in the recruiting stage and come January they will be the people I will be taking samples from. Some sports are not happy to be involved because they worry about any impact on athletes if they give consent that the athletes feel compelled to take part.'

Strobridge is working on the project with two other people - UK Lacrosse player Tamsin Drake and Joanna Briggs of GB Sailing.

They need to get 150 samples between them and it is hoped to have the initial results in April and May next year and the final results in a couple of years.

'The aim is to have the research fully finished by the 2012 Olympics,' said Strobridge.