WORLD sprint champion Katrin Krabbe and two of her team-mates have

confessed they took a banned steroid-related drug.

In a statement, Germany's DLV athletics federation said Krabbe, Grit

Breuer, and Manuela Derr -- all from the Neubrandenburg club in former

East Germany -- promised to help its inquiry.

''The accused athletes and Manuela Derr have confirmed to the DLV they

had been taking the medicine Spiropent since April 16 this year,'' the

statement said.

Spiropent, usually for asthma sufferers, contains clenbuterol, which

helps convert fat to muscle.