Four-time Olympic champion in cross-country skiing Teresa Johaug has issued a sensational statement. After that, it would be right for Norway to be removed from the sport for several years. After all, this is what they did with Russia.
Funny explanations Yohaug
October 2016. At that time, the multiple world champion and Olympic winner is preparing for the new season. However, on October 13, news arrives that shocked everyone. It became known that the doping test of the Norwegian athlete gave a positive result for an anabolic steroid. It is banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). Teresa held a press conference where she gave a chic explanation. She stated that she simply used lip ointment, which includes the substances found. It turns out that it was a special lipstick, which caused laughter in sports circles.However, no one showed any great hatred towards Yohaug. Like it's business as usual. Just think, the world's leading skier got caught doping and stupidly excuses herself. The people applaud and believe the poor thing.
Recall that in the same time period another Norwegian skier Martin Jonsrud Sundby was «caught». It would be worth talking about the systemic use of illegal drugs in the Norwegian team. However, everyone was too focused on Russian athletes and their disqualifications. Moreover, if in the case of the Russians, direct evidence was not found, then everything was there.
Returned as if nothing had happened
There were lengthy discussions as to how long she should be disqualified. At first they wanted to suspend him until the Olympic Games in Pyeongchang. However, the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne challenged the decision of the Norwegian Anti-Doping Agency and increased Johaug's ban to 18 months. She missed the 2018 Olympics.It was to be expected that after the end of the suspension, Teresa would not be welcomed into the skiing family. Suffice it to recall what kind of negativity poured out in the direction of Russian biathletes. Yohaug, however, returned calmly. As if nothing had happened.
There were some separate caustic comments, but globally the Norwegian was gladly accepted back. She continued to win one tournament after another, and she did it with some cosmic margins. In recent years, our Natalya Nepryaeva challenged her, but even a Russian woman often could not keep up with Teresa.
Where is the punishment?
After the Beijing Olympics, Yohaug ended her career and told a lot of interesting things in her book. In particular, she admitted that before the start of the 2016/17 season, the Norwegian Ski Association advised her not to publish information about a positive doping test result.
"I couldn't sit back and pretend like nothing happened while talking about my goals for the upcoming season. Then they suggested that I come up with an explanation why I would not be at this event. They advised me to say that I feel bad, meaning illness. I could hardly believe my ears. Did the Norwegian Ski Association suggest that I pretend that nothing happened, so as not to interfere with the plans of the conference? Have they forgotten about the (Martin) Sundby case and the ongoing Asthma Committee investigation?" — Yohaug's words are quoted from the biographical book "The whole story", a fragment of which is quoted by VG.
It turns out that Norway signed a lie, forcing its the best skier to hide the dope. Johaug unwittingly exposed the big problems in Norwegian sport. If the leaders there deliberately cover up a person who has taken illegal drugs, then the case is rubbish. But where are the IOC and WADA? The flag and anthem were taken from Russia for similar violations, and even with a less obvious evidence base. Unfortunately, the question of whether Norway will now be excluded from participation in international competitions, you can answer for yourself. Everyone will remain in their places.
The opinion of the author may not coincide with the position of the editors