 Athletes have cheated by over @-@ representing impairment to have a competitive advantage , and the use of performance @-@ enhancing drugs . German skier Thomas Oelsner became the first Winter Paralympian to test positive for steroids in 2002 . He had won two gold medals in the alpine events but was stripped of his medals . One concern now facing Paralympic officials is the technique of boosting blood pressure , known as autonomic dysreflexia . The increase in blood pressure can improve performance by 15 % and is most effective in the endurance sports such as cross @-@ country skiing . To increase blood pressure athletes will deliberately cause trauma to limbs below a spinal injury . This trauma can include breaking bones , strapping extremities in too tightly and using high @-@ pressured compression stockings . The injury is painless to the athlete but affects the body and impacts the athlete 's blood pressure , as can techniques like allowing the bladder to overfill . 
