The ex-athlete committed a doping crime while working as a youth Olympic coach.
Markus Puolakka attended the Olympics in 2010. EPA / AOP
Suek, the Finnish sports ethics center, has been ordered by an ex-Olympic athlete Markus Puolakan banned for six years for a doping violation.
Suek’s decision is based on the verdict of the Itä-Uusimaa district court in June 2023, according to which Puolakka acquired doping substances and passed them on. Puolakka transmitted testosterone, growth hormone and nandrolone.
Puolaka was banned because at the time of the crimes he was working as a youth Olympic coach for the Finnish Skating Association. According to the district court, the crimes took place in the summer of 2019. Puolakka worked at the ice skating association from May 2, 2018 to March 31, 2021.
During Suek’s process, Puolakka did not respond to the indictment and did not appeal the decision within the deadline.
Born in 1985, Puolakka participated in the Vancouver Olympics in 2010. He finished 30th in the 500 meters.
Skating Union’s position
In its own statement, the Skating Federation emphasized that Puolaka’s doping crimes are related to the ex-athlete’s private life.
According to the union, it received information about the suspicions regarding Puolakka in April 2025 and immediately reported the matter to Suek.
– The Finnish Skating Federation has an absolutely negative attitude towards doping substances and requires all coaches and athletes to commit to anti-doping rules. There has also been such a clause in Puolaka’s employment contract. We are sorry for the damage to the reputation of Finnish sports caused by the incident, but we will resolutely continue our work for clean sports, the executive director of the association Outi Wuorenheimo said in a statement.