Mao Qunan, the Chinese Health Ministry spokesman, believes the allegations of gene doping made in a German documentary are bogus. “Olympia im Reich der Mittel - Doping in China” was aired by German television station ARD on Das Erste; the documentary was produced by DOKfilms (”Chinese health official doubts report on illegal gene therapy for athletes,” July 28).

“I have consulted some leading experts, who said the stem-cell therapy for enhancing athletes’ performance was technically impossible at present, and it is also prohibited by the Chinese government,” said Mao.

The ARD, a German-based television company, reported last week that a Chinese doctor offered stem-cell therapy to a reporter posing as an American swimming coach in return for 24,000 U.S. dollars.

Mao Qunan noted that ARD television provided no information that could be used to verify the authenticity of the story. The Chinese official left open the possibility that a Chinese doctor may have attempted to “scam” the reporter posing as a swim coach, but also questioned the motives of the documentary company by suggesting they could have fabricated the story to promote their own agenda.

Mao said he found the documentary had no location, no time and no specific individuals. He doubted the authenticity of the report.

Mao said as the documentary was filmed with a concealed camera it was unclear that whether the doctor cheated the German TV company, or the German TV company cheated the public. (emphasis added)

ARD television and the German company DOKFilm have refused to cooperate and/or provide any assistance to Chinese officials seeking to eradicate doping.

“We hope the German TV company could give a clear explanation to the public,” said Mao. He also hoped the German TV company could play a role in helping the government’s anti-doping efforts.

Yan Jiangying, the spokesperson of the State Administration of Food and Drug (SFDA), thanked Germany’s ARD television for providing a ”helpful clue” about a company that sold illegal stimulants in Anshan, in the Liaoning Province.  This month, China announced that this company was “severely punished” as a result. But Jiangying also noted that ARD journalists refused to provide any assistance or cooperation in this case as well.

However, the journalist with the ARD declined to provide any clues, saying that as a journalist rather than a prosecutor, he had no duty to do so.