The Straight Dope
December 21, 2006
On Thursday, Jenapharm agreed to pay 9,250 euros ($12,200) per person in compensation to 184 athletes in an out-of-court settlement.
The former state drug company, which manufactured the anabolic steroids and other drugs given to the athletes, also agreed to donate 170,000 euros to groups supporting doping victims.
The agreement comes a week after Germany's Olympic Sports Organization agreed to pay the same amount to 170 athletes, many of whom were unknowingly given drugs when they were children.
Jenapharm CEO Isabel Rothe said in a statement that the payments were a "social contribution to reduce the suffering of those affected."
"At the same time, the agreement will avoid a drawn-out legal argument," Rothe said.
Jenapharm still denies it has a legal responsibility to compensate athletes who were given the performance-enhancing drugs.
Thousands of victims went on to suffer from a series of problems, such as hormonal imbalance and difficulties in reproducing.