Norwegian athletes avoid close relationships with the opposite sex due to the fear of being punished for doping.
Idman.Biz reports that, according to the results of a study conducted in Scandinavian countries, 22 percent of Norwegian athletes said they abstain from intimate relationships to reduce the risk of accidentally taking a prohibited substance.
One in five Norwegian athletes surveyed said they sometimes abstain from sexual intercourse, while 11 percent said they abstain permanently. In other Scandinavian countries - Finland, Denmark and Sweden - these figures are lower. In those countries, 14.3 percent of athletes said they sometimes avoid intimacy, and 10.4 percent said they always avoid it.
Another notable point in the study is related to the products that athletes use daily. More than 60 percent of those surveyed said they do not use biologically active additives, some medical preparations, as well as cosmetic creams and ointments, to minimize the risk of doping.
Experts say that strict doping control and punishment mechanisms directly affect not only the sports career of athletes, but also their personal lives.