Birgit Treiber Explained

Birgit Treiber
Birth Date:26 February 1960
Birth Place:Oschatz, East Germany
Weight:66kg (146lb)
Club:SC Einheit Dresden
Strokes:Backstroke
Show-Medals:yes

Birgit Treiber (born 26 February 1960) is a former swimmer from the German Democratic Republic. She won one gold and two silver medals in the 1976 Summer Olympics and a bronze medal in the 1980 Summer Olympics. It was later proven she was extensively involved in an illegal doping program that greatly improved her swimming abilities.

Career

She began her international career in 1975, setting a new world record in the 200 m backstroke at the 1975 World Aquatics Championships, where she also won silver medal in the 100 m breaststroke.

At the 1976 Summer Olympics, she won a gold medal in the 4 × 100 m medley relay. She swam only in the preliminary round, where the East Germany team set a new Olympic record. In the 100 meters and 200 meters backstroke she finished second behind Ulrike Richter. In the same year she set world records in the 400 m individual medley and 200 m backstroke. Next year she won three gold medals at the European LC Championships 1977.

After winning three silver medals at the 1978 and a bronze medal at the 1980 Summer Olympics she ended her swimming career and became a dentist. It was later revealed that she was involved in the East Germany doping program.[1]

Notes and References

  1. http://www.berlinonline.de/berliner-zeitung/archiv/.bin/dump.fcgi/1994/0408/none/0001/index.html "Staatsplanthema 14.25" von 1988 legte exakte Anabolika-Dosen fest Doping in der DDR (4): Mißbrauch von Aufputschmittel an 13jährige Mädchen: Kinder – Spielbälle für Mediziner und Trainer