Staatsgeheimnis Sport - Die Abschottung des Leistungssportsystems der DDR

The GDR and the FRG not only competed for medals but also fought a battle of ideologies in the Olympic arena. Therefore parts of the successful GDR sport system where thoroughly protected almost as a state secret, to pre vent an imitation of its sport organization by the "class en emy." Sports complexes and schools were hidden from the public, the press was censored, the academic communica tion hindered, finally, the doping system was guarded by the Ministry of State Security. On several occasions the Soviet Union complained about the East German mystery-mon gering. But at last, the sport system had in the first place be come estranged from the public.