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Russian biathlon team visited by Austria police amid probe against IBU — WADA

Late on December 12, a group of investigators visited the Russian team, which arrived in Austria to take part in World Cup events in Hochfilzen

© AP Photo/Laurent Gillieron

MOSCOW, December 14. /TASS/. The Austrian police’s visit to the headquarters of the Russian national biathlon team in Hochfilzen is related to the corruption probe in the International Biathlon Union, a spokesperson for the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) told TASS on Thursday.

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Late on December 12, a group of investigators visited the Russian team, which arrived in Austria to take part in World Cup events in Hochfilzen. In line with Austria’s law on criminal procedure, they notified several Russian athletes and other personnel about the ongoing investigation into the possible violation of anti-doping rules committed during the 2017 Biathlon World Championships in Hochfilzen.

"WADA can confirm that the events that took place in Hochfilzen are a continuation of the police investigation into the International Biathlon Union (IBU) that was launched in April this year," the spokesperson said. "While this issue is linked to doping, it is part of an ongoing police investigation therefore the Agency can make no further comment at this time."

In April, IBU headquarters in Austria’s Salzburg were searched by officers of the Federal Criminal Police in connection with the doping scandal. Investigators were looking into the activities of then IBU President Anders Besseberg and Secretary General Nicole Resch. WADA launched its own investigation in October shared information with officials from Austrian and Norwegian law enforcement, as well as Interpol.

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