Austria’s anti-doping goons have provisionally suspended 2002 Olympic cross-country ski champion Christian Hoffman for alleged blood doping.
There is a certain irony to the accusations. In the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City Hoffman was awarded the gold medal in the 30 km freestyle mass start event despite coming in 2nd to Spain’s Johann Muhlegg, who was later disqualified for blood doping.
Although Hoffman is yet to be found guilty, Austria’s national anti-doping agency has banned him from all competitions, which means he won’t qualify for the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver.
According to a report in USA Today, Hoffmann has never tested positive, but prosecutors in Austria have been investigating possible blood doping by him and other athletes since May.
“I just didn’t get the chance to defend myself and to prove my innocence,” Hoffmann told the Austria Press Agency. “So, the winter is over. They are dragging it out that long so I don’t have a chance to qualify for the Olympics.”
[Via: USA Today]
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