Ephedra Controversy Erupts At Olympics

ATHENS, Greece--Greek police reportedly found 1,400 boxes of dietary supplements containing ephedra and/or anabolic steroids in a raid on the warehouse of a Greek Olympic coach at the center of the Olympic doping scandal, according to news sources. Christos Tzekos coached two Olympic sprinters, one of which has since pulled out of the Games after missing drug tests.

According to a Reuters report, Tzekos's company was fined last year by the National Organization for Medicines (EOF, the equivalent of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration) for stocking more than 600 boxes of ephedra supplements without a proper license and was ordered to destroy them. Tzekos appealed the case, which has been stalled in the Greek legal system.

While ephedra and anabolic sterolid products are legal in Greece, both are on the list of substances banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency for use in competitive sports.

A statement from EOF (www.eof.gr/eof_en/enhome.html) is expected this week.