ITALY: Jungwirth says Austria still fighting for top place on medals table despite possible Olympic ban.

Record ID: 331804

  • Title: ITALY: Jungwirth says Austria still fighting for top place on medals table despite possible Olympic ban.
  • Date: 23rd February 2006
  • Summary: (BN11) SESTRIERE, ITALY (FEBRUARY 23, 2006) (REUTERS) WIDE OF AUSTRIAN NATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE (NOC) SECRETARY-GENERAL HEINZ JUNGWIRTH SPEAKING TO COLLEAGUE (SOUNDBITE) (English) AUSTRIAN NOC SECRETARY-GENERAL HEINZ JUNGWIRTH SAYING: "Well, it's really a pity because these sportsmen which had performed so well, they always had the problems that somebody, even at home and outside the country are telling about the scandals and not about the good performances and I think that this is really a sad situation now, but we will try all to bring them in their right position, because we think that it is absolutely great what they have done here." (SOUNDBITE) (English) AUSTRIAN NOC SECRETARY-GENERAL HEINZ JUNGWIRTH SAYING: "Definitely, I must say that all the guys who have won medals already and who are still competing, they know they are clean sportsmen and they are happy to compete and they will show in the last few days how good they are, without any doping and anything from outside." JUNGWIRTH SPEAKING TO COLLEAGUE (SOUNDBITE) (English) AUSTRIAN NOC SECRETARY-GENERAL HEINZ JUNGWIRTH SAYING: "We are in the second place and now we still try to get the first place. We have a few days more to go and I really want to congratulate all these sportsmen and the coaches behind. This is absolutely our best result we ever had. We had 21 medals in in Albertville 1993, but just less gold medals at that time. This time it's absolutely a record and I really want to congratulate all of them." WIDE OF JUNGWIRTH SPEAKING TO COLLEAGUE
  • Embargoed: 10th March 2006 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Italy
  • Country: Italy
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVA3L1YGZQIH4TRBTIVJUOK1SCX8
  • Story Text: Austrian National Olympic Committee Secretary General Heinz
    Jungwirth said on Thursday (February 23) that spirits among Austrian athletes
    were still high despite a doping scandal that has surrounded the team.
    Jungwirth said Austrian athletes were still fighting to get first place
    in the medal standings - a position currently held by Germany.
    Austria is currently in second position with 19 medals, including eight
    golds.
    "We are in the second place and now we still try to get the first
    place. We have a few days more to go and I really want to congratulate all
    these sportsmen and the coaches behind. This is absolutely our best result we
    ever had. We had 21 medals in in Albertville 1993, but just less gold medals
    at that time. This time it's absolutely a record and I really want to
    congratulate all of them," Jungwirth told Reuters Television.
    But Jungwirth added that the Turin Olympics had been particularly
    difficult for the team who have suffered under the doping scandal.
    "It's really a pity because these sportsmen which had performed
    so well, they always had the problems that somebody, even at home and outside
    the country are telling about the scandals and not about the good performances
    and I think that this is really a sad situation now, but we will try all to
    bring them in their right position, because we think that it is absolutely
    great what they have done here," Jungwirth said.
    The International Olympic Committee announced on Thursday that it is
    considering penalties including a ban of Austria after the doping affair.
    The Austrian NOC on Wednesday (February 22) launched its own
    investigation into why a banned cross-country and biathlon coach was visiting
    the Austrian team, triggering a raid by Italian prosecutors last Saturday
    (February 18) and an IOC investigation.
    "I must say that all the guys who have won medals already and who
    are still competing, they know they are clean sportsmen and they are happy to
    compete and they will show in the last few days how good they are, without any
    doping and anything from outside," Jungwirth said.
    Jungwirth had previously criticised the Austrian Skiing Federation for
    playing down the findings of the Saturday raid, saying that the blood
    transfusion equipment that was found was not permitted.
    Austrian Skiing Federation president Peter Schroecksnagel has said that
    the syringes found in the raid could be used to inject vitamins as well, and
    that the IOC was delaying the publication of doping test results because they
    were negative.

    ENDS.
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