Athletes Flee Italy's Tough Doping Laws
The Age
Tuesday February 21, 2006
IN A bizarre scene that Hollywood could not have scripted, two Austrian Winter Olympic athletes have fled from Italy across the border to Austria to avoid a possible jail term.
Wolfgang Perner and Wolfgang Rottman were two of 10 Austrians surprised by a sudden drug testing raid on their accommodation in San Secario on Saturday night.The two are believed to be worried about the results of the drug-testing that was conducted that night and sought the sanctuary of their homeland to avoid the stiff criminal drug laws that exist in Italy. Austrian television is reporting that the two men believed they would face two years jail if their drug tests were positive.This follows the spectacular car crash of the head coach of Austrian cross-country and biathlon, Walter Mayer, early Monday after fleeing Italian authorities who were searching for him. He has been charged with civil disorder.Austrian team officials released a statement yesterday saying that the two athletes had been dumped from the team for committing the offence of leaving the Olympic village. The drug test results for the two athletes and the others tested during the raid have yet to be announced.
© 2006 The Age