Olympic and world middle-distance running champion Gabriela Szabo, Sonia O’Sullivan’s biggest rival, has been dragged into a possible drugs scandal, according to the l'Equipe sports daily.
French customs confirmed the paper's report that they had seized drugs in a car belonging to Szabo, 1,500m world and 5,000m Olympic champion, and were checking whether they were banned performance-enhancers.
Szabo, 27, was not in the car when it was stopped by the customs near the Italian border. She was making her own way from her South African winter training base to the altitude resort of Font Romeu in the French Pyrenees.
Among the drugs seized were progesteron, used for hormonal replacement therapy, and Actovegin, a food supplement made from veal's blood.
Szabo's husband and coach, Zsolt Gyongyossy told l'Equipe the drugs were destined for another of his athletes and he would be meeting customs officials to clarify the situation.
Filed by Sinéad Kissane
