Drugs in Sport: Warning over cold cure

The chief drug tester at the Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan, has warned National Hockey League players competing in the games to stay off Sudafed.

The over-the-counter cold remedy is one of the International Olympic Committee's banned substances and Dr Makoto Ueki believes some ice hockey players will run into trouble because of it.

"Sudafed is not an accepted substance," said Ueki, the director of the IOC drug testing laboratory. "It is prohibited, even for colds. It cannot be used." It was reported last week that 20 per cent of NHL players routinely use Sudafed.