The German Athletics Federation (DLV) has banned controversial plasma substitutes after it appeared that at least two prominent German athletes had used one called HES.

"To protect athletes from unauthorised manipulations, we have decided together with the DVL doctors that the use of plasma substitutes such as HES should not be allowed any more," the DLV said in a statement yesterday.

The DLV statement came after European 10,000 metres bronze medallist Stephane Franke was quoted as saying both he and European 3,000 metres steeplechase champion Damian Kallabis had taken HES during the European championships in Budapest last August.

"Yes, we have used the substance HES in Budapest," Franke told the daily Frank- furter Allgemeine Zeitung yesterday.

DLV doctor Karlheinz Graff said last month he had received a request from two German athletes for HES, which expands the volume of blood plasma. Graff said HES could be used to combat the blood thickening which might result from the intake of erythropoietin (EPO).

The newspaper said Franke's comments had been reproduced from a fax sent to it by the athlete. "We are making this public because we believe we are innocent and have nothing to hide," said Franke.

"We have never taken erythropoietin and we are ready to submit ourselves to blood controls at any time."