Brazil national team doctor Jose Luiz Runco on Wednesday denied
doping concerns regarding medical treatment received by AC Milan
star Ronaldo.
Runco has denied that Ronaldo, who has been sidelined with a
left thigh injury since July, has been subjected to the
controversial growth factor therapy which is known as "blood
spinning."
Ronaldo traveled to Rio de Janeiro last Friday to be examined by
Runco, a specialist who has treated the player throughout his
sporting career.
It had been reported that Runco had suggested that Ronaldo
follow this treatment, which is illegal in Italy.
"There was confusion because the day that Ronaldo came (to the
clinic) there was another player here, Maxi (from Flamengo), who
was following the growth factor therapy. There was a mix-up when
the news reached Italy," Runco was quoted as saying in the
press.
The controversial technique involves collecting the patient's
blood, treating it and reinjecting it into the body to speed up
recovery naturally.
A May 2005 New Scientist article on the practice
explained: "... small samples of a patient's blood are centrifuged
to discard red blood cells and concentrate the platelets into
platelet-rich plasmas (PRPs).
"When the platelets are concentrated to typically five times
their normal level, calcium and the enzyme thrombin are added to
the mix, which makes the platelets coagulate to form a clot-like
gel.
"The platelets then start releasing the natural growth factors
(NGFs) that accelerate healing, just as they would in a natural
wound, but at five times the usual concentration. The gel can be
applied to a wound or injected into the site of an internal
injury."
The World Anti Doping Agency (WADA), which already bans the
concentration, storage and re-injection of an athlete's own red
blood cells because of the practice's oxygen-boosting effects, has
in the past advised caution over blood spinning.
In its Thursday edition, however, French newspaper Le
Monde reported that the Italian Olympic Commitee (CONI) could
open an investigation into the treatment received by Ronaldo.
Runco meanwhile insists that it could not be considered as
doping.
"Growth factor (blood spinning) is already a global technique
which has been used for the past six to eight years, and it has
never been considered as possible doping."
(China Daily via AFP September 14, 2007)