ITALY/AUSTRIA: IOC will probably open disciplinary tribunal against Austrians as athletes continue training.

Record ID: 331761

  • Title: ITALY/AUSTRIA: IOC will probably open disciplinary tribunal against Austrians as athletes continue training.
  • Date: 22nd February 2006
  • Summary: PRAGELATO PLAN, ITALY (FEBRUARY 21, 2006) (REUTERS) VENUE OF CROSS-COUNTRY EVENT
  • Embargoed: 9th March 2006 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVAEKLAV2DWIE134DRKUN6ILFEKH
  • Story Text: The International Olympic Committee (IOC) will probably launch a
    disciplinary investigation to probe possible doping violations by the
    Austrian biathlon and cross-country skiing team even without a positive doping
    test, it was announced on Tuesday (February 21).
    Angered by Austria's decision to snub an Olympics ban imposed on coach
    Walter Mayer and allow him to come to Turin to meet athletes, the IOC said a
    probe into potential anti-doping violations would probably start soon.
    Mayer was banned by the IOC until and including the 2010 Winter Games
    after a blood doping scandal he was involved in during the 2002 Salt Lake City
    Olympics.
    The World Anti-Doping Agency tipped off the IOC that Mayer was spotted
    near the athletes and the IOC informed police.
    A night-time police and IOC doping raid on the two teams' quarters in
    San Sicario and Pragelato on Saturday found syringes, drugs and blood
    transfusion equipment. Ten of the athletes were also tested for drugs.
    The Austrians claim the equipment and drugs were used for haemoglobin
    testing.
    Under its anti-doping rules the IOC could sanction the Austrians even
    if none of their athletes test positive, if there is an attempted use or
    possession of prohibited substances or methods.
    Giselle Davies, the IOC director of communications, told reporters on
    Tuesday: "In due course the IOC, one would imagine, will receive
    information from the Italian authorities once their work has been completed
    and conducted and once they feel they are at a stage where they can give us
    information. As I mentioned yesterday, it's likely in due course an IOC
    disciplinary commission will be set up and of course it would ask -- and hope
    to get -- information that would help it in its disciplinary work."
    She said in due course the IOC would receive information from the
    Italian authorities regarding exactly what had been found in the raid.
    Davies said the athletes' doping tests were still ongoing and results
    would be issued soon.
    Sources close to the procedure have said the Austrians could be
    sanctioned in the same way two Greek sprinters were forced to withdraw from
    the Athens 2004 Games and are still provisionally banned from competing
    without ever testing positive.
    They had failed to appear for a doping test on the eve of the Games.

    The banned coach, Mayer, stayed last weekend at a house in Pragelato
    Plan, the same village where Austria's cross-country athletes have a base. A
    neighbour said that the police arrived on Monday evening and searched the
    apartment above his where Austrians were living.
    The coach for the Austrian Olympic biathlon team said it was time to
    put an end to the chaos and the rumours and to start afresh.
    Depressed by the doping saga swirling round their team, Austria's
    biathletes finished last in Tuesday's men's Olympic 4x7.5-km relay, more than
    six minutes behind winners Germany.
    Coach Alfred Eder said the rumours were getting out of hand.
    "The ski federation will give a press conference very shortly,
    when we know more.. and I also need to know more, because I don't know. It's
    complete chaos right now. There are so many rumours. People said I was
    arrested but as you can see I am here. There's not much more we can do now.
    The sports men are on the ground, I am on the ground, we need a fresh
    start," Eder said.
    Austrian athletes training for Wednesday's (February 22) cross-country
    event in Pragelato Plan said their team was preparing as usual.
    "The training went OK and all is alright," said cross-country
    skier Harald Wurm.
    Wurm refused to comment further on the raids.
    The gloom surrounding the team worsened when biathletes Wolfgang Perner
    and Wolfgang Rottmann were banned from the Turin Games after leaving without
    telling their national committee. Austria's ski federation is also trying to
    find out why one of their cross-country coaches suddenly left the Winter
    Olympics after the visit by banned coach Walter Mayer prompted police raids on
    the team.
    Police and doping controllers swooped on the athletes' accommodation
    late on Saturday and in the following days two athletes as well as coaches
    Emil Hoch and Roland Diethart went back to Austria.
    "Diethart departed correctly, he officially signed out. As for
    Emil Hoch, there are other reasons for his departure which we are
    examining," a ski federation spokesman said.
    He said Hoch's departure appeared to be linked to Mayer's return to
    Austria after the raids. He did not know exactly when Hoch went away and said
    Diethart left on Monday.
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