Furosemide is the most common doping violation in women’s artistic gymnastics. Publicly documented cases include those of Nadzeya Vysotskaya (2006), Đỗ Thị Ngân Thương (2008), Daiane dos Santos (2009), Kristina Goryunova (2009), Luisa Galiulina (2012), Angelina Simakova (2022).
But not all cases make their way onto the widely circulated lists. In 1998, just weeks before the Asian Games, four South Korean gymnasts tested positive for furosemide—a banned diuretic used for weight loss and, in some cases, to mask other prohibited substances, including anabolic steroids. When all was said and done, South Korea’s national team had only three members because the other four members had been suspended.
What follows is their story, as it unfolded in the pages of the Dong-A Ilbo.
November 5, 1998: The Initial Tests
Three National Team Athletes for the (Asian) Games Test Positive for Banned Substances
(Page 30, Sports Section – Gong Jong-sik)Three athletes selected to represent the country at the December Bangkok Asian Games have tested positive in the first round of banned substance testing.
Lee Sang-gun, director of the Taereung National Training Center, stated during a National Assembly audit by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism on the 4th that it was true, in response to Representative Nam Kyung-pil’s question citing a report that “recently, drug users have emerged.”
According to team officials, the athletes are two gymnasts and one swimmer, all considered medal prospects. It was revealed that they had taken a diuretic (furosemide) in order to reduce body weight.
The Taereung Training Center conducted drug tests on 212 national team athletes two weeks ago and received these results from the Korea Institute of Science and Technology on the 3rd.
亞(아)경기 국가대표 3명 금지약물 양성반응
30면 스포츠 공종식
亞(아)경기 국가대표 3명
금지약물 양성반응
12월 방콕아시아경기에 출전할 국가대표 선수 3명이 금지약물 1차 양성반응을 보인 것으로 밝혀졌다.
이상균 태릉선수촌장은 4일 국회 문화관광위 국정감사에서 “최근 약물복용자가 나왔다는 제보를 받았다”는 남경필 의원의 질문에 사실이라고 밝혔다.
선수촌 관계자에 따르면 이들은 체조(2명)와 수영(1명)의 여자 메달 유망주로 모두 체중감량을 위해 이뇨제(프로세마이드)를 복용한 것으로 드러났다.
태릉선수촌은 2주 전 대표선수 2백12명에 대한 약물검사를 실시했으며 3일 한국과학기술원으로부터 이같은 결과를 통보받았다.
November 13, 1998: Removal from the Asian Games Roster
Five National Team Athletes Removed from Roster After ‘Positive’ Drug Tests
(Page 34, Sports – Kim Hwa-seong)
Five national team athletes who had been scheduled to compete in next month’s Bangkok Asian Games have been removed from the final roster after testing positive for banned substances.
On the 11th, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism announced that it had commissioned the Korea Institute of Science and Technology last month to conduct drug tests on 212 national team athletes. As a result, five athletes—four gymnasts and one swimmer—who showed positive reactions to prohibited substances were excluded from the entry list.
These athletes, all considered medal contenders, were found to have taken diuretics (including furosemide) for the purpose of weight reduction. As a consequence, only three of the seven women originally selected for the national gymnastics team remain, placing the team’s “medal campaign” in a state of emergency.
‘양성 반응’ 국가대표 5명 엔트리 제외
34면 스포츠 김화성
‘양성 반응’ 국가대표 5명 엔트리 제외
내달 방콕아시아경기대회에 참가할 예정이던 국가대표 선수 5명이 금지약물 양성반응으로 최종 엔트리에서 제외됐다.
문화관광부는 11일 지난달 한국과학기술원에 의뢰, 대표선수 2백12명에 대한 약물검사를 실시한 결과 금지약물 양성반응을 보인 체조(4명)와 수영(1명) 등 5명의 선수를 엔트리에서 제외하기로 결정했다.
메달 유망주인 이들은 체중감량을 위해 이뇨제(프로세마이드) 등을 복용한 것으로 밝혀졌다. 이에 따라 체조 여자대표선수는 총 7명 중 3명만 남게 돼 ‘메달전선’에 비상이 걸렸다.
November 18, 1998: Two-Year Suspensions
Four Gymnasts Given Two-Year Suspensions After ‘Doping’ Positive Tests
(Page 29, Sports – Kwon Soon-il)… The Korea Gymnastics Association announced that it has imposed two-year suspensions on four female artistic gymnasts who tested positive in doping tests conducted by the Korea Sports Council.
On the 17th, the association stated that Choi Mi-seon (Gyeonggi High School), Gong Yoon-jin (Seoul Physical Education High School), Kim Lara (Gyeonghui Girls’ High School), and Kim Ji-hye (Korea National Sport University) were found to have taken diuretics. In addition to excluding them from the national team for the Bangkok Asian Games, the association imposed two-year eligibility suspensions.
The association also decided to dismiss three women’s artistic gymnastics coaches—Min A-young, Yoon Chang-seon, and others—as part of the disciplinary measures.
‘도핑’양성반응 체조선수 4명 2년간 자격정지
29면 스포츠 권순일
‘도핑’양성반응 체조선수 4명 2년간 자격정지
○…대한체조협회는 대한체육회가 실시한 도핑테스트에서 양성 반응을 보인 여자 기계체조선수 4명에게 자격정지 2년의 중징계를 내렸다.
체조협회는 17일 최미선(경기체고)공윤진(서울체고)김라라(경희여고)김지혜(한국체대)등 이뇨제를 복용한 것으로 드러난 4명을 방콕아시아경기대표에서 제외하는 한편 2년 자격정지 처분을 내렸다고 밝혔다. 협회는 또 임정수 민아영 윤창선 등 여자기계체조 코치 3명을 해임하기로 결정했다.
Choi Mi-seon went on to compete at the 2000 Olympics, which happened in September 2000, so it’s unclear how strictly those suspensions were enforced.
Appendix: Additional Articles on the Subject
From the Chosun Ilbo (November 13, 1998):
Five Athletes Excluded from Asian Games Team for Drug Use
Four Gymnasts, One SwimmerIt has been confirmed that five national team athletes selected to compete in the Bangkok Asian Games tested positive for banned substances. On the 12th, the Korea Sports Council announced that recent drug tests conducted by the Korea Institute of Science and Technology revealed the use of prohibited substances by four gymnasts and one swimmer.
After an initial test showed that two female gymnasts had used diuretics, the Council ordered additional tests of all female gymnasts, uncovering two more cases. As a result, these athletes—along with one female gymnastics coach and one female race walker who had already indicated she would not participate—were removed from the final entry list. The Asian Games delegation has therefore been reduced to 703 members.
Reporter: Seong Jin-hyeok
약물선수 5명 아(亞)선수단 제외
체조 4명-수영 1명
방콕아시안게임에 나갈 국가대표 선수 가운데 5명이 금지약물 양성반응을 보인 것으로확인됐다.대한체육회는 최근한국과학기술원이 국가대표 선수들의 약물복용 여부를 검사한 결과 체조선수 4명과 수영선수 1명이 금지약물을 사용한것으로 드러났다고 12일 밝혔다.체육회는 1차 검사에서 여자 체조선수 2명이 이뇨제를사용한 사실이 나타남에 따라이번에 여자 체조선수 전원을다시 검사，2명을 더 밝혀냈다.체육회는 이들과 여자 체조코치 1명，불참의사를 밝힌여자 경보선수 1명을 최종 엔트리서 제외，아시안게임 선수단은 703명으로 줄어들게 됐다. <성진혁기자>
From the Daily Yomiuri (Japan):
S. Korea Withdraws Artistic Gymnastic Team from Asian Games
SEOUL (AFP-Jiji)—South Korean women’s artistic gymnasts have been withdrawn from next month’s Asian Games after four competitors failed drug tests, officials said Tuesday.
The Daily Yomiuri, November 18, 1998
The Korea Gymnastics Association (KGA) also fired three coaches of the squad for the Bangkok Games.
“We decided to withdraw the women’s artistic gymnastics after four of our six athletes tested positive for banned diuretics,” So Jung-Ho, a KGA spokesman, told AFP.
The four were banned for two years. They were found to have used diuretics during fresh drug tests two weeks ago for all South Korean gymnasts and swimmers.
The tests were carried out after a swimmer and two gymnasts failed earlier tests. The swimmer was also banned.
“This is an unprecedented incident. So harsh action is unavoidable in line with strict doping guidelines imposed by the International Olympic Committee,” said Kim Tae-Yong, a spokesman for the Korea Sports Council.
South Korea, with its Bangkok delegation now reduced to 538, including 204 women, still hopes to pick up 70 medals to again beat Japan for second place in the medal standings behind China.
The drug failures ahead of the Asian Games are the first involving South Korean competitors since 1995 when a sprinter was banned for two years.
More on Doping