Norwegian athletes are deliberately avoiding close relationships with the opposite sex due to fears of potentially violating anti-doping regulations.
According to Idman.Biz, a study conducted among Scandinavian athletes revealed that 22 percent of Norwegian sportsmen and sportswomen avoid intimate contact in order to reduce the risk of prohibited substances entering their bodies. Every fifth Norwegian athlete admitted doing so occasionally, while 10.9 percent said they follow this practice on a permanent basis.
The figures are lower in other Scandinavian countries. In Finland, Denmark and Sweden, 14.3 percent of respondents said they sometimes avoid intimate relationships, while 10.4 percent stated that they do so on a regular basis.
In addition, more than 60 percent of all participants in the study reported refusing to use dietary supplements, certain medications, as well as cosmetic creams and ointments, in order to minimize the risk of breaching anti-doping rules.
