The doping case involving biathlete Rebecca Passler concerns the Olympic hosts. He is currently lying down “at the lawyers”.
After an internal review, those responsible in the Italian biathlon team assume that Rebecca Passler, who was convicted of doping, is innocent. Klaus Höllrigl, biathlon sports director of the Olympic host, explained this in an interview with ARD.
The news about Passler’s positive doping test came a few days before the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in Milan and Cortina “hit the entire team like a bomb, but we have worked through it and believe in the athlete’s innocence”said Höllrigl: “The National Olympic Committee also supported the athlete.”
Passler is positive breast cancer drug tested
The case would momentarily “lying with the lawyers”which is why Höllrigl cannot provide any details about the internal investigations. Lying from now on “full focus on sport”.
The 24-year-old Passler tested positive for the substance letrozole, a breast cancer drug that is banned in sport and used to lower estrogen levels, in an out-of-competition test scheduled by the Italian doping agency in January.
None for now Post-nomination by Passler
Sports director Höllrigl confirmed that the Italian biathlon team would forego a subsequent nomination for the suspended Passler for the time being. The women’s squad consists of Dorothea Wierer, Lisa Vittozzi, Hannah Auchentaller and Michela Carrara.
The South Tyrolean Passler caused the first doping case in the immediate run-up four days before the opening ceremony of the Winter Games. The biathlon competitions in Antholz take place just a few kilometers from her birthplace, Bruneck. The biathlon competitions start on Sunday with the mixed relay.
