It is a huge boost for the image of Paralympic sport with the competition in the German capital being the last major disability swimming meet ahead of London 2012 next year.

"Approximately 40 urine and blood samples were collected from a number of the 450 athletes competing and the testing was conducted by Germany's national anti-doping agency NADA," said an IPC statement.

The event saw the return to action of Britain's Paralympic champion Heather Frederiksen (pictured above), who had been banned for the sport for six months last year after she tested positive for raised levels of Salbutamol at the 2009 IPC European Championships in Reykjavik in Iceland.

The 25-year-old from Leigh had suffered a severe asthma attack after one of her races in Reykjavik and although she had been cleared to use her asthma inhaler, the levels of the drug found in her body were higher than those permitted for medical reasons.

She was stripped of the four gold medals as well as the silver and the bronze she won in Iceland and subsequently missed out on last year's World Championships in Eindhoven.

However, she made a stunning return to the big stage in Germany as she picked up four gold medals and a silver.

Frederiksen added at the event that she was disappointed to have been banned from the event because of her asthma.

"Salbutamol is a drug which helps asthmatics and it needs to be taken in chronic situations and the situation in Iceland was a chronic one," she said.

"I could possibly have died if I hadn't taken my inhaler.

"It was a situation where I did what I had to do to save my life and I would do it again.

"I was having an asthma attack and I couldn't breathe.

"I was in fear for my life.

"Hopefully people will see it was a potential life or death situation.

"I know I'm not a cheat and I know I can go into a pool with a clear conscience knowing I didn't take something I wasn't supposed to take.

"When I heard about the ban I was devastated because I knew I hadn't taken anything I shouldn't have.

"I understand the rules but it was something I had to do to save my life."

Frederiksen, who suffered an accident five years ago that left her with reduced mobility down the right side of her body, is the fastest woman in Europe in her S8 category in the 100metre backstroke, 50m freestyle and 400m backstroke and is set to be one of Britain's top medal prospects at the London 2012 Paralympics.

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