Dominik Baldauf and Max Hauke have been sanctioned with four year bans after being found guilty of anti-doping rule violations (ADRVs) including blood doping. The two Austrian cross country skiers were caught as part of a coordinated police raid into a doping network in February. Hauke was apprehended in the process of conducting a blood transfusion, and a police officer was later fined for sharing a video of Hauke online.

Baldauf was sanctioned with a four year ban from 1 March 2019 until 1 March 2023, the Austrian Anti-Doping Commission (ÖADR) announced (click here to download statement). The ÖADR said that this was because from April 2016, he had blood samples taken for the purpose of storage and later reintroduction. The ÖADR said that in the period from April 2016 to February 2019, he received a large number of reinfusions at irregular intervals, including a final autologous blood infusion of 800ml on 24 February 2019. Baldauf’s results from 1 April 2016 onwards have been cancelled, and any prize money withdrawn. The decision is final, as Baldauf has not challenged the decision within the appeal deadline.

Max Hauke was sanctioned with a four year ban from 1 March 2019 until 1 March 2023, the ÖADR announced (click here to download statement). The ÖADR said that in addition to use of blood transfusions from April 2016 to February 2019, Hauke had also used growth hormones from 2017 to 2019. The ÖADR said that the last blood transfusion he received was 100ml on 27 February, when he was caught red handed.

All Hauke’s results from 1 April 2016 have been cancelled, as well as any prize money received. However unlike in Baldauf’s case, the ÖADR decision is not yet final, as the appeal deadline has yet to pass.

A number of athletes have been implicated as part of the Operation Aderlass investigation by Austrian and German police, who are focussing on customers of Dr. Mark Schmidt. It is understood that investigations were spurred by an interview (below) given by Johannes Dürr, in which he admitted use of blood transfusions, erythropoietin (EPO) and growth hormones. Dürr has also been provisionally suspended by the ÖADR (click here to download statement).