KATHMANDU, May 22 (Xinhua) -- The Nepali government has raised concern about the reported use of xenon gas by a group of mountaineers in summiting the world's tallest Mount Qomolangma.
Aided by the gas, four former members of British special forces reached the top of the 8,848.86-meter-high peak on Wednesday in under five days without acclimatization. The high-speed expedition was organized by Austria-based Furtenbach Adventures.
The use of xenon is controversial because the World Anti-Doping Agency added it to the list of banned substances in sporting events in 2014.
"We have sought details about it with the team leader, members and concerned agency that organized the expedition," Nepal's Department of Tourism said in a notice on Thursday.
One of the main concerns of the Nepali government is whether the use of xenon would undermine the efforts of other mountaineers by depriving them of a level playing field, said Himal Gautam, director at the department.
"Another concern is that the use of xenon gas for climbing will shorten tourists' stay in Nepal, which is not beneficial for the Nepali economy and the livelihood of many people who depend on the spending of climbers," Gautam told Xinhua.
According to Gautam, there is no legal provision in Nepal which categorically bans the use of xenon in the climbing process.
"After studying the pros and cons of its use for the purpose, the government will take appropriate decisions on the matter," he said. ■
