Bolivian soccer club used Viagra to fight altitude effects
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A former physio of Bolivian club Blooming has revealed that he had administered the sex drug Viagra to several players to help them play at high altitude in La Paz.
Rodrigo Figueroa, now with Bolívar, told La Prensa newspaper he had prescribed Viagra, which oxygenates the blood, mixing it with fruit juice for matches at La Paz, which stands 3,570m above sea level.
Players were unaware of what they were taking, the physiotherapist said.
"We used Sildenafil, better known as Viagra," Figueroa explained. "In Bolivia, the best-known brand is Segurex.
"We prescribed it for several players, especially those who suffered most from altitude."
He stressed that Viagra was not on the list of banned products either of the World Doping Agency or FIFA.
And asked about his former side's results using the product, Figueroa replied: "At altitude you win, you draw, you lose. The best results came when the team relied on strong tactical nous."
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Rodrigo Figueroa, now with Bolívar, told La Prensa newspaper he had prescribed Viagra, which oxygenates the blood, mixing it with fruit juice for matches at La Paz, which stands 3,570m above sea level.
Blooming's base at Santa Cruz stands at barely 400m above sea level.
Players were unaware of what they were taking, the physiotherapist said.
"We used Sildenafil, better known as Viagra," Figueroa explained. "In Bolivia, the best-known brand is Segurex.
"We prescribed it for several players, especially those who suffered most from altitude."
He stressed that Viagra was not on the list of banned products either of the World Doping Agency or FIFA.
And asked about his former side's results using the product, Figueroa replied: "At altitude you win, you draw, you lose. The best results came when the team relied on strong tactical nous."
Also see:
