The IOC announced last night that the first round of tests on the 10 Austrian athletes, raided by police last Sunday for alleged drug use, were negative.
However, there is still much to do.
The IOC have already started making blood tests on the athletes, there will then be a general inquiry.
During the raid the police took bags of blood. The practice of "blood on feet", as it is called by athletes, is whereby extra blood is injected into an athlete from a donor in order to increase the haemoglobin level. This improves the athlete's ability to oxygenate the blood.
Needless to say, this "vampire" method of improving performance is cheating.
Saturday, February 25, 2006
Friday, February 24, 2006
Bomb Scares In Turin
Italian police stopped a car near the main Media Centre for the Turin Winter Olympics on Thursday afternoon, they had suspicions that it contained a bomb.
The car was stopped along the Via Nizza, and the traffic was blocked for over an hour.
The bomb squad and firefighters were brought in.
The police used a controlled explosion to enter the red Honda, which had been abandoned at Fabio Filzi Piazza with engine running. Police blew open the left door of the car, as helicopters hovered overhead on the Via Nizza.
They towed away the car after an hour long investigation.
Police are still looking for the car's owner.
On Wednesday evening, shuttle buses for the media were stopped for about an hour after one driver had engine trouble and called police fearing a bomb.
The car was stopped along the Via Nizza, and the traffic was blocked for over an hour.
The bomb squad and firefighters were brought in.
The police used a controlled explosion to enter the red Honda, which had been abandoned at Fabio Filzi Piazza with engine running. Police blew open the left door of the car, as helicopters hovered overhead on the Via Nizza.
They towed away the car after an hour long investigation.
Police are still looking for the car's owner.
On Wednesday evening, shuttle buses for the media were stopped for about an hour after one driver had engine trouble and called police fearing a bomb.
Thursday, February 23, 2006
Doping Scandal Deepens
The doping story relating to Walter Mayerand the Austrian team, deepened; it is reported that Wolfgang Perner and Wolfgang Rottmann may participated in "illegal methods", as further leaks about the raid on the Austrian team HQ at the weekend emerge.
Police officers have allegedly seized unlabeled drugs, a blood transfusion machine and dozens of syringes.
The Austrian ski federation president, Peter Schroecksnadel, said that Wolfgang Perner and Wolfgang Rottmann who left the Games after the raids had confessed to a team official that they "may have used illegal methods."
A commission is being set up to investigate.
Schroecksnadel stated that it was "a mistake" for the Austrian team to have allowed Mayer to coach in a private capacity at the Turin Games.
Investigators also found more syringes at Mayer's quarters.
This is rather a slap in the face to Schroecksnadel who, on Tuesday was still in denial, was huffing and puffing that the investigation was "no longer about sport, it's just about rumours."
It is time that the athletes, and their "managers", got it into their heads that this cheating will not be tolerated.
Police officers have allegedly seized unlabeled drugs, a blood transfusion machine and dozens of syringes.
The Austrian ski federation president, Peter Schroecksnadel, said that Wolfgang Perner and Wolfgang Rottmann who left the Games after the raids had confessed to a team official that they "may have used illegal methods."
A commission is being set up to investigate.
Schroecksnadel stated that it was "a mistake" for the Austrian team to have allowed Mayer to coach in a private capacity at the Turin Games.
Investigators also found more syringes at Mayer's quarters.
This is rather a slap in the face to Schroecksnadel who, on Tuesday was still in denial, was huffing and puffing that the investigation was "no longer about sport, it's just about rumours."
It is time that the athletes, and their "managers", got it into their heads that this cheating will not be tolerated.
Wednesday, February 22, 2006
Olympics Lowest Rated Ever
It seems that if you are a TV executive at NBC, you may not be a very happy bunny at the moment.
According to Media Life, this year's Winter Olympics on NBC will be the lowest-rated games in Olympic history. The Turin Games have pulled in 21.1M viewers per night; this is less that the previous lowest ever Olympics, the 2000 Sydney Summer Olympics, which averaged 21.5M total viewers per night.
Two questions face NBC
1 How to improve the current ratings?
2 Do they bother investing so much time and effort into future Games?
According to Media Life, this year's Winter Olympics on NBC will be the lowest-rated games in Olympic history. The Turin Games have pulled in 21.1M viewers per night; this is less that the previous lowest ever Olympics, the 2000 Sydney Summer Olympics, which averaged 21.5M total viewers per night.
Two questions face NBC
1 How to improve the current ratings?
2 Do they bother investing so much time and effort into future Games?
Tuesday, February 21, 2006
Mayer In Psychiatric Hospital
The Austrian biathlon coach Walter Mayer, who was charged yesterday with criminal offences including civil disorder, property damage and assault in Austria, has now been admitted to a psychiatric hospital.
Peter Schroecksnadel, Austrian Ski Federation President, said:
"Walter Mayer is in the psychiatric hospital, unfortunately. He's in custody to protect himself because apparently he's said he wanted to commit suicide or something like that. I couldn't talk to him myself."
Mayer had managed to trigger a drugs raid on the Austrian team bases on Saturday night. It is reported that one athlete had thrown medical gear, including syringes, out of the window during the raid.
Magistrates in Turin have begun an investigation into Mayer.
However, Schroecksnadel claims that the police had found no banned substances:
"There were no drugs found which are doping. There were syringes and transfusion equipment and devices which can be used to measure haemoglobin levels but ... this is legitimate."
Peter Schroecksnadel, Austrian Ski Federation President, said:
"Walter Mayer is in the psychiatric hospital, unfortunately. He's in custody to protect himself because apparently he's said he wanted to commit suicide or something like that. I couldn't talk to him myself."
Mayer had managed to trigger a drugs raid on the Austrian team bases on Saturday night. It is reported that one athlete had thrown medical gear, including syringes, out of the window during the raid.
Magistrates in Turin have begun an investigation into Mayer.
However, Schroecksnadel claims that the police had found no banned substances:
"There were no drugs found which are doping. There were syringes and transfusion equipment and devices which can be used to measure haemoglobin levels but ... this is legitimate."
Monday, February 20, 2006
More Dope
Seemingly dope is never very far from the surface in the Olympics these days.
The Carabinieri paramilitary police "visited" the Austrian cross-country and biathlon team accommodation overnight, allegedly after blood doping equipment linked to the team's Nordic team coach Walter Mayer was found in Austria.
The International Olympic Committee also tested at least 10 Austrian cross-country skiers and biathletes.
Mayer had been banned from the Olympics, until after 2010, on suspicion of performing blood transfusions at the 2002 Salt Lake City Games. He had visited the team in Italy, but then managed to crash his car into an Austrian police roadblock on Sunday evening.
Austrian cross-country skier, Juergen Pinter, said:
"We were surprised in our room. Suddenly the police came in and didn't let us leave on the night before the competition.
This happened without any positive result from doping control in the team. There's definitely no doping in the Austrian team.
It's crazy."
The Carabinieri paramilitary police "visited" the Austrian cross-country and biathlon team accommodation overnight, allegedly after blood doping equipment linked to the team's Nordic team coach Walter Mayer was found in Austria.
The International Olympic Committee also tested at least 10 Austrian cross-country skiers and biathletes.
Mayer had been banned from the Olympics, until after 2010, on suspicion of performing blood transfusions at the 2002 Salt Lake City Games. He had visited the team in Italy, but then managed to crash his car into an Austrian police roadblock on Sunday evening.
Austrian cross-country skier, Juergen Pinter, said:
"We were surprised in our room. Suddenly the police came in and didn't let us leave on the night before the competition.
This happened without any positive result from doping control in the team. There's definitely no doping in the Austrian team.
It's crazy."
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