14. 08. 09. - 14:00

• more Sports news
• RSS Feed Sports

14. 08. 09. - 14:00

WADA laboratory boss hits back after bribery claims

By Thomas Hochwarter

The head of Austria’s top doping-control laboratory hit back after a former sports manager claimed he had paid workers at official laboratories to check urine samples of athletes.

Günter Gmeiner, chief of the Austrian Research Center in Seibersdorf, Styria, said today (Fri) he could "in all conscience" exclude the possibility that staff at the institute – which is accredited by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) – had been paid or bribed.

His statement comes after Stefan Matschiner, former manager of disgraced ex-cyclist Bernhard Kohl, claimed he had paid staff at WADA offices to check urine samples to find out whether athletes he was working with would test positive in doping tests if they took part in an upcoming competition.

Matschiner, who was kept in investigative custody for five weeks in April and May, is still the target of investigations by Austrian special police commission "SoKo Doping". He worked with Bernhard Kohl, who was found to have done blood doping during last year’s Tour de France in which he finished in third place and was the best climber.

Kohl, 27, initially denied any doping activities but, last autumn, made a tearful confession and pledged to cooperate with investigators. He accused Matschiner of being a key man in international doping circles.

Seibersdorf laboratory boss Günter Gmeiner also told ORF.at he could not imagine bribery was possible at any of WADA’s other 33 centres all over the world since he knew its control mechanisms.

Earlier this year, former Austrian triathlete Lisa Hütthaler revealed she had tried in vain to blackmail a Seibersdorf employee in a dramatic bid to cover up a positive doping probe of herself that she knew about after hearing from colleagues that staff at the laboratory was open-minded about doing so. The 25-year-old, who is cooperating with anti-doping investigators, also ended her career. Gmeiner stressed he had immediately informed anti-doping authorities about the incident.

Gmeiner, who warned athletes might consider "genetic doping" at some point in the future, said his office was constantly gearing itself up with the latest technology but added: "Doping is getting more and more complex and proving it has occurred is getting more difficult and expensive. It will be a big challenge in the future."

Matschiner’s claims have shocked the European sports scene this week as the Track and Field World Championships are set to take place in Berlin from this weekend. Speaking to German broadcaster ARD about production of a documentary, the 34-year-old said: "The employees were given 150 or 300 Euros. That way, it was possible perfectly to prepare the athletes."

The Upper Austrian claimed the method had worked for years and might still work.

Matschiner said he consoled the athletes he was responsible for with doping substances "from various sources in Austria and other countries", adding it was his goal to "ensure they had the right stuff at the right time without delivering positive doping results."

Austrian Times

Related articles: doping

1. Kohl loses court case over doctor doping claims

   » Sports 2010-01-08

   Disgraced former cyclist Bernhard Kohl has lost a court case over claims that a top doctor knew of his doping.

2. ÖOC lifts ban on disgraced biathlete team members

   » Sports 2009-09-09

   Sanctions have been lifted against Olympic athletes suspended over a doping scandal.

3. Blood-injecting tennis ace Paszek escapes doping ban

   » Sports 2009-09-04

   Austrian tennis star Tamira Paszek has escaped a doping ban despite having admitted she had her own blood injected as therapy.

4. €220,000 doping substances stash found in hotel

   » General News 2009-08-20

   A 220,000-Euro stash of doping substances has been found at a hotel in Schwechat near Vienna.

5. WADA laboratory boss hits back after bribery claims

   » Sports 2009-08-14

   The head of Austria’s top doping-control laboratory hit back after a former sports manager claimed he had paid workers at official laboratories to check urine samples of athletes.

6. Paszek investigated amid doping claims

   » Sports 2009-07-23

   The Austrian Anti-Doping Agency is investigating after tennis ace Tamira Paszek admitted she had injections of her own blood as therapy for a back injury.

7. Doping cyclist Bernhard Kohl might be jailed

   » Sports 2009-07-01

   Former cyclist Bernhard Kohl could face jail after he admitted to giving another athlete drugs.

8. Doping offender gets suspended jail term

   » Sports 2009-06-26

   Former triathlon ace Lisa Hütthaler was handed a jail sentence for bribery today (Fri) after admitting she tried to cover up a positive doping test.

9. Doping cyclist´s legal action over interview

   » Sports 2009-06-11

   Retired cyclist Bernhard Kohl is taking legal action after a French newspaper published statements he says he never made.

10. Doping cyclist Kohl throws in the towel

    » Sports 2009-05-25

    Banned cyclist Bernhard Kohl announced the end of his career today (Mon).

Higher cigarette prices on tap
Austria Tabak reported today (Fri) that the price of its 35 brands of cigarettes would increase by 10 to 20 cents a pack at the end of March.

RI's Croat subsidiary gets €30mn credit
Raiffeisen International’s (RI) Croatian subsidiary Raiffeisenbank Austria d.d. received a 30-million-Euro credit by the German Investment and Development Society (DEG), it was announced.

Austrian Catholics turn on church
Austrian Roman Catholics are up in arms over sex scandals involving local priests and children with increasing numbers threatening to quit the church.

Wolford's earnings up in first three quarters
Vorarlberg textile firm Wolford reported today (Fri) that its earnings before interest and taxes (Ebit) had increased in the first three quarters of its 2009/2010 business year.

More foreign holidays planned this year
More Austrians are planning on holidays abroad this year after 2009 saw a drop in numbers, according to a study by public opinion research agency Karmasin.

Siemens Austria to lay off 500 to 600
Siemens Austria said today (Fri) it would lay off 500 to 600 of 2,000 workers in software division SIS (IT solutions and services) in the near future.

Graz police smash drug ring
An Iranian asylum seeker thought to be the boss of a drug-dealing gang has been arrested along with 11 cohorts, police said today (Fri).

Verbund could lose interest in French Poweo
Austrian energy provider Verbund’s 46 per cent interest in French electricity provider Poweo may become less valuable if the firm makes good on its threat to stop providing service to end customers.

Kasabian roll into Vienna
British indie rock giants Kasabian will return to Austria this summer, it has been revealed.

Paraglider crashes against bus
A 34-year-old paraglider escaped with bruises after smashing into a moving bus in Eben, Tyrol, yesterday (Thurs).