Fight Against Doping - Finns Question Ski Leader; Biathletes Failed Drug Tests

Kari-Pekka Kyro’s allegations about Finish doping lead authorities to question Jari Piirainen. Finns Question Ski Association Leader

The Finnish National Bureau of Investigation brought the managing director of the nation’s ski association in for questioning regarding an ongoing doping investigation.

Jari Piirainen claimed he was questioned for 13 hours on Tuesday according to reports in Finnish media.

Former national cross-country skiing coach Kari-Pekka Kyro said over the summer that the Finnish Ski Association and Piirainen knew about the FSA’s systematic doping in the '90s and did nothing to stop it. Piirainen oversaw cross-country skiing in the '90s.

Piirainen was the fourth individual to be questioned by the NBI this week in regard to their role in the doping allegations. In total, 11 suspects have been questioned this year.

The NBI would not say who the other suspects were who were brought in for questioning.

During the period Kyro claims Finnish skiers were doping, Finns took home nine Olympic medals, including three golds.

Banned Biathletes Fail Drug Test

The three Russian biathletes who were banned from this year’s world championships had their “B” samples tested and were confirmed to have EPO in their systems. Ekaterina Iourieva was found to have EPO in her “B” samples, taken at a world cup event earlier in the season. (Getty Images)

Anders Besseberg, president of the International Biathlon Union, said on Thursday, Ekaterina Iourieva, Albina Akhatova and Dmitry Iaroshenko that the further testing confirmed the doping. EPO is used in endurance sports like biathlon and cycling, to produce more red blood cells, improving endurance.

"It is a substance from the EPO family which does not come from the new generation known as Cera," Besseberg said on German TV.

After the three failed drug tests at a world cup event in Sweden earlier in the year, they were barred from the competition.

Besseberg did say that there have been no other positive drug tests this season.

Briefs…

…French anti-doping authorities apprehended Lance Armstrong while he was training in southernLance Armstrong says he was drug tested for the twenty-fourth time since returning to cycling. (Getty Images) France, and made him give a hair sample to be tested for performance-enhancing drugs. Armstrong said he has been tested for drugs 24 times since returning to cycling. “He [the French anti-doping tester] didn’t make my hair look very good,” Armstrong was quoted as saying in the Associated Press.

…The World Anti Doping Agency issued its call for proposals for 2009’s Social Science Research Grant Program. This program encourages research in social science in order to obtain information that will enable more efficient doping prevention strategies. Any organization may apply for a grant. For more information, click here.

Media Watch

Owen Slot has a report on the staggering costs associated in fighting doping.

Written by Ed Hula III.