Last updated on: 2/13/2009 | Author: ProCon.org

Rasmus Damsgaard, PhD, MD Biography

Title:
Specialist Registrar in Anesthesiology at Gentofte University Hospital
Anti-Doping Researcher at Bispebjerg University Hospital
Position:
Con to the question "Should Performance Enhancing Drugs (Such as Steroids) Be Accepted in Sports?"
Reasoning:

“I hate when people cheat. And when we can prove it with simple methods – and perhaps prevent some of the drugs themselves and thus avoid death at an early age or put their health at stake.”

“Bispebjerg Doctor Developed the Ultimate Anti-Doping Program,” Tema, Apr. 2007
Theoretical Expertise Ranking:
    Experts
Individuals with MDs, JDs, PhDs, or equivalent advanced degrees in fields relevant to performance enhancing drugs and sports. Also top-level government officials (such as foreign leaders, US presidents, Founding Fathers, Supreme Court Justices, members of legislative bodies, cabinet members, military leaders, etc.) with positions relevant to performance enhancing drugs and sports.
Involvement and Affiliations:
  • Specialist Registrar, Anesthesiology, Gentofte University Hospital (Denmark), 2006-present
  • Medical and Anti-Doping Researcher, Bispebjerg University Hospital, 2006-present
  • Consultant Team Doctor, Cycling Team Astana, 2007-present
  • Consultant Team Doctor, Cycling Team CSC, 2006-present
  • Anti-Doping Expert, FIS International Skiing Anti-doping Programme, 2006-present
  • Secretary General, Anti Doping Danmark, 2000-2004
  • Former Researcher, Copenhagen Muscle Research Centre, Copenhagen University Hospital (Rigshospitalet), Denmark
Education:
  • PhD, Department of Growth and Reproduction, University of Copenhagen
    Thesis title: Children in Competitive Sports
  • MD, school unknown
Other:
  • On Feb. 11, 2009, Lance Armstrong announced on his website that Dr. Damsgaard will be in charge of his personal voluntary drug testing by implementing the “intelligent testing” program used by cycling teams Astana and CSC. This will be in addition to the unannounced testing conducted by the UCI (International Cycling Union) and WADA. Dr. Damsgaard will replace Armstrong’s former voluntary drug testing coordinator, Dr. Don Catlin.
Quoted in:
  1. Are Existing Testing Efforts Effective in Detecting the Use of Performance Enhancing Drugs?