Doping scandal threatens Estonia's Olympic hopes

  • 2002-01-31
  • Aleksei Gunter
TALLINN - A doping probe could bury the Olympic hopes of Kristina Schmigun, Estonia's 24-year-old cross-country skiing star and one of the athletes tipped for a medal at the upcoming winter games.

According to the Estonian Ski Association, Schmigun tested positive for a banned steroid. The news of her possible disqualification has shocked the nation.

The International Ski Federation said on Jan. 23 that an analysis Schmigun underwent on Dec. 12 in Davos, Switzerland, at a World Cup competition revealed that she used the illegal substance 19-norandrosteron.

Schmigun said she has never used any banned substances and expected the B-probe (the second and most significant part of the test that either confirms or rejects the preliminary result) to prove she was clean.

She also suggested that the food nutrients and rehabilitation medicines she took during training could have given the false norandrosteron alarm. She said she used the Animal Pak and Eiselt Research nutrient packs, neither of which contains the illegal substance.

Raul Kinks, secretary general of the Estonian Ski Association, said referring to Estonian medical experts that the level of 19-norandrosteron could conceivably be higher because Schmigun was menstruating at the time of the December test. Estonian drug experts, including Dr. Mihkel Mardna from the Estonian Anti-Doping Center, also said norandrosteron could be generated by the human body in a natural way.

"The normal amount of norandrosteron for a woman is five nanograms per milliliter of urine," said Mardna.

The A-test showed Schmigun had 6.4 nanograms.

Schmigun's latest achievements include second place in the 1999/2000 Word Cup season.

Many believe this is not a false alarm. "It is very improbable that the result of the B-probe will differ from the A-probe," said Mart Siimann, chair of the Estonian Olympic Committee.

The results of the B-probe will be revealed on Jan. 31. If they are positive, Schmigun will be disqualified for two years.

Atko Viru, sports doctor and emeritus professor of Tartu University, also shares Siimann's pessimism. In an interview with the daily Eesti Paevaleht, Viru said international experts would consider the case of Schmigun purely from the legal standpoint and would not take into account any explanations from the Estonian side.

Schmigun may also lose her hefty sponsors if she tests positive. According to the daily Postimees, some of the sponsor contracts she signed have special clauses requiring that she "stay clean."