ITALY: The samples of all ten Austrian athletes dope-tested last week have proved negative for drugs.

Record ID: 331805

  • Title: ITALY: The samples of all ten Austrian athletes dope-tested last week have proved negative for drugs.
  • Date: 23rd February 2006
  • Summary: TURIN, ITALY (FEBRUARY 24, 2006) (REUTERS) (~**NO WIRELESS USE**~) IOC DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS GISELLE DAVIES WALKS INTO NEWS CONFERENCE, JOINED BY PROFESSOR ARNE LJUNGQVIST, IOC MEDICAL COMMISSIONER (SOUNDBITE)(ENGLISH) DAVIES SAYS It is not standard practice to give the findings of the results unless they are positive but due to the exceptional circumstances we did want to come here tonight to confirm to you that the laboratory analysis was completed today and the IOC received the results earlier this afternoon. The samples did not show up any adverse findings. The IOC would like to stress that the doping controls of Saturday evening, and their issuing results that we have today, are only one element in this undoubtedly wider affair that is being followed. The IOC takes this affair very seriously and is determined to do everything that it can within its powers to bring full clarity to what has happened in the past days. We will of course, as we have said in due course, set up a disciplinary commission and this will study the files and various information as well as hearing the relevant persons. WIDE VIEW OF NEWS CONFERENCE
  • Embargoed: 10th March 2006 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Italy
  • Country: Italy
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVA868BRUDCVHRFG5KV0ZHSHYXFS
  • Story Text: All 10 Austrian athletes tested during a drugs swoop last Saturday
    (February 18) by International Olympic Committee (IOC) officials at the Winter
    Games have proved negative, the IOC said on Friday (February 24).
    The Austrian biathlon and cross-country skiing teams have been the
    subject of an IOC and Italian police investigation after blood transfusion
    equipment was found at lodgings in the raid.
    The IOC confirmed the samples were all negative.
    "The samples did not show up any adverse findings," IOC
    director of communications, Giselle Davies, told a news conference in Turin.

    "The IOC takes this affair very seriously and will do what it can
    within its power to bring full clarity to what happened over the last
    days."
    "What has been ruled out is the use of any stimulants, anabolic
    steroids," said Arne Ljungvist, head of the IOC medical commission.
    "The standard menu has been used for this analysis and this was
    negative."
    Leo Wallner, president of the Austrian Olympic Committee, told Reuters:
    "It's a good result for us. All the tests were negative."
    Austria have taken their best Olympics medal haul -- 19 medals with
    eight golds -- during the Games which close on Sunday.
    But their best performance at a Winter Games has been tarnished by
    doping allegations, triggered by coach Walter Mayer, who was banned four years
    ago, and the alleged discovery of blood transfusion equipment, syringes and
    medication.
    The IOC had said earlier it would be investigating the Austrian team's
    actions whatever the results from the tests. Peter Schroecksnader, president
    of the Austrian Ski Federation, told Reuters on Friday: "When you take
    blood and urine samples at 11 at night you not looking for instruments, you
    are looking for doping in the blood. That has proved negative.
    "I am happy because it proves I was right to trust my
    athletes."
    Asked about the future of Austria's biathlon and cross-country skiing
    sporting director, Markus Gandler, Schroecksnader added: "I was asked to
    fire him but I refused because I trust him."
    Ljungvist said there was no intention of carrying out a witchhunt but
    added: "We have reason ... to follow up a certain number of cases by
    blood analysis."
    The IOC is still waiting for information from Italian authorities on
    anything they found during the raid.
    We have not yet received any information from the Italian authorties
    about what they have found," he said.
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