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01. 07. 09. - 15:00

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01. 07. 09. - 15:00

Doping cyclist Bernhard Kohl might be jailed

By Thomas Hochwarter

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

The 27-year-old, who finished last year’s Tour de France as best climber, said in an interview with the ORF he had given Hannes Hempel with drugs while the triathlete supplied him with blood booster CERA.

He said: "Among friends you exchange things."

Kohl’s lawyer Manfred Ainedter said the deal took place in early 2008 – before tougher anti-doping laws came into effect in August that year under which Kohl would be jailed for up to three years for the offence.

Now investigators are looking into when the deal actually took place and whether it was in fact after the tough legislation was introduced.

Kohl announced the end of his career earlier this year after he was banned for two years for using CERA during last year’s Tour de France. Investigations against the Lower Austrian are continuing.

Hempel, who has never been found guilty of doping, has denied any involvement under oath.

Andreas Schwab, head of the Austrian Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) appealed to the media to stick to the facts and not run "exaggerated coverage" based solely on speculations, accusations and rumours.

Kohl recently said he had told investigators all he knew about the doping business in Austria.

But Schwab told ORF.at today: "Speaking to us, he didn’t say anything of help in chasing doping offenders. He only ever says what we know already – after denying everything for a long time.

"He only started to admit wrongdoings when he spoke to (special investigations group) SoKo Doping," Schwab added.

The NADA boss added: "Kohl even lied to us. He initially claimed he got hold of CERA from a doctor who he refused to name. And then he suddenly started to mention Hempel.

"There are no reasons to reduce his ban because his statements are very ‘thin’ – and some of them not even true, as we know," Schwab said.

Schwab added a heavier sentence was possible, depending on what investigators uncover.

Schwab said NADA is currently preparing proceedings against other athletes as well. He said: "It’s by far not all about cyclists. Proceedings could get underway this summer – and we will reveal names."

Speaking about this year’s Austria Tour, which starts this Sunday, Schwab said: "There will be blood and urine checks for the first time – thanks to an increase in our budget. Checking one athlete costs 1,100 Euros."

The NADA, which is one year-old today, succeded the Austrian Anti-Doping Comite (ÖADC).

Schwab said: "We are now a role model for other countries as far as investigations against doping offenders are concerned. This has not always been the case."

Kohl is not the only athlete the NADA and the SoKo Doping are investigating. Only last week, former triathlon ace Lisa Hütthaler was given a suspended jail sentence for bribery after admitting she tried to cover up a positive doping test.

The 25-year-old Lower Austrian told the Main Regional Court of Wiener Neustadt she offered to pay 20,000 Euros to a Seibersdorf laboratory employee to ensure her positive doping test would be announced as being negative last year.

She was given a three month suspended prison sentence. Ahead of the trial, Hütthaler announced her retirement despite the fact that her six-year doping ban was slashed to just 18 months.

Stefan Matschiner is also the target of investigations. Kohl’s former manager, he was named as a major figure in the doping scene by Kohl and Hütthaler. Matschiner was kept in investigative custody for five weeks in April and May. He is accused of cooperating with athletes in doping after a blood centrifuge was found by investigators in a Budapest flat owned by him.

Kohl accused Olympic Gold-winning cross country skier Christian Hoffmann and Danish cyclist Michael Rasmussen of being involved in acquiring the machine in partnership with himself to rent it to other athletes.

Meanwhile cyclist Christian Pfannberger could be banned for life after failing a doping test for the second time in his career. The International Cycling Association said earlier this week the B-sample of the test handed in by the 29-year-old in March of this year was also positive for the illegal blood booster EPO.

Pfannberger, who already served a two-year ban between 2004 and 2006, was suspended by his team Katyusha Continental after the positive result of the a-probe was revealed in May.

Austrian Times

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