Drugs in sport: German swimmer pursues damages

A former East German swimmer, Karen König, has filed a lawsuit seeking compensation from Germany's National Olympic Committee for health damage she says she suffered as a result of systematic doping in the former communist nation.

König became the first to file a lawsuit yesterday following a recent court ruling that entitled her to receive financial help to cover costs of a trial. The NOC could now become the target of lawsuits by former East German athletes who were given drugs under a state-sponsored programme without their knowledge.

König, who says she suffered hormonal problems as a result of taking performance-enhancing drugs, is seeking €10,225 (£7,200) in damages from the NOC. While the NOC is not considered liable for the former East German Olympic committee, it inherited some of its property after reunification in 1990.

The German government had set aside more than €2m for doping victims, but only 197 former athletes filed claims before the deadline on 31 March.