NEWS
MATCH REPORTS
DIARY
OTHER SPORTS
SLIDE SHOW
PEOPLE
ARCHIVES

Drug test proves life-saver

In Perth, former Olympic hockey player Greg Corbitt is thanking a drug test and astute diagnosis by national team doctor Tony Galvin for early detection of a malignant tumour.

Corbitt, 26, was in a Perth hospital Tuesday to have the tumor removed, a day after scoring four goals for local side Victoria Park in his last game for the year.

A member of Australia's silver medal-winning 1992 Barcelona Olympic team, Corbitt was found to have the cancer, details of which have not been revealed after a routine urine sample taken by the Australian Sports Drug Agency (ASDA) on June 21 showed a foreign hormone.

He contacted Australian team doctor Galvin, who explained that tumors could produce different types of hormones and ordered further testing, including ultrasound.

"Had they not asked for a urine sample I would have continued to live my life without knowing I have cancer before it was too late,'' Corbitt said.

Former ASDA official Dr Brian Corrigan said Galvin's diagnosis had almost certainly saved Corbitt's life, and described it as "an incredible piece of detective work.''

"That's a great piece of diagnosis, especially if he (Corbitt) was completely well,'' Corrigan said. "For Tony Galvin to have sorted all that out, I think is a triumph, I really do, he did it extraordinarily well. They test Corbitt for drugs and end up saving his life.''

Corbitt said he was determined to beat the cancer and return to the game which saw him win national team honours at the age of 17, in 1988, and play 104 internationals up to last year, scoring 39 goals.

"As far as I'm concerned it is just another challenge I have to overcome, albeit a rather large one,'' he said. "I have no doubt I will make a full recovery and will be back playing next year. Everything in my life, including my fight to win national selection, pales into insignificance alongside the battle I will have to face getting healthy again.''

Corrigan suggested that Corbitt had probably returned a high 'te' (testosterone-epitestosterone) ratio in his urine sample.

The two hormones are normally produced in equal amounts in the human body and a high 'te' ratio can be evidence of steroid use.

Until recently a high 'te' ratio meant an immediate ban from competition under International Olympic Committee (IOC) guidelines.

But since the link between tumors and high 'te' ratios was established, the ban is not put in place until further investigations are completed, Corrigan said.