Johann Mühlegg
Encyclopedia
Johann Mühlegg (born 8 November 1970 in Ostallgäu
, Germany
) is a Spanish
top level cross-country skier
who has competed in international competitions first representing Germany
and then Spain
, after becoming a Spanish citizen in 1999. He was excluded and disqualified from the 2002 Winter Olympics
in Salt Lake City for doping
.
, even though he began having trouble with the Germany's ski federation in 1993. From the beginning, Mühlegg singled himself out, at one point accusing German head coach Georg Zipfel for "damaging him spiritually" (the so-called Spiritistenaffäre). He was thrown out of the team in 1995, but was re-instated later. But from that moment on, the ever eccentric Mühlegg insisted on taking a flask of holy water at him at all times, and trusting only his Portuguese
cleaning woman/chaperon Justina Agostino. In the end, Mühlegg was branded as a team cancer and was thrown out.
In late 1999, competing for Spain, he won a World Cup
race for the first time. At the 2001 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships
in Lahti
, he won two medals with a silver in the 10 km + 10 km combined pursuit (stepping up when the original medalist Jari Isometsä
was disqualified for hemohes use), and a gold in the 50 km freestyle race.
In the 2002 Winter Olympics
in Salt Lake City, Mühlegg won gold medals in the 30 km freestyle and the 10 km + 10 km pursuit races, the successes gaining him congratulations from King Juan Carlos of Spain.
Mühlegg finished first in the 50 km classical race held on the final Saturday of the Salt Lake City Winter Olympic Games on 23 February 2002 but was disqualified from that race and was expelled from the Games the next day, after testing positive for darbepoetin¹ (a medicine which boosts red blood cell count; the substance was not banned at the time since it had only recently been developed).
initially let Mühlegg keep his gold medals from the first two races, but in December 2003 a ruling by the Court of Arbitration for Sport
(CAS) found that these medals should also be withdrawn. The CAS remitted this case as well as similar ones involving Olga Danilova
and Larisa Lazutina
(both from Russia
) to the IOC Executive Board, which confirmed the rulings in February 2004. Nevertheless, publications appearing in professional literature since then indicate that the detection of prohibited substances at the 2002 Olympics may have been false as a result of less-than-perfect detection methodology, and the Olympic champions could therefore wrongly suffer IOC sanctions.
Ostallgäu
Ostallgäu is a district in Bavaria, Germany. It is bounded by the districts of Oberallgäu, Unterallgäu, Augsburg, Landsberg, Weilheim-Schongau and Garmisch-Partenkirchen, and by the Austrian state of Tyrol...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
) is a Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
top level cross-country skier
Cross-country skiing
Cross-country skiing is a winter sport in which participants propel themselves across snow-covered terrain using skis and poles...
who has competed in international competitions first representing Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and then Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, after becoming a Spanish citizen in 1999. He was excluded and disqualified from the 2002 Winter Olympics
2002 Winter Olympics
The 2002 Winter Olympics, officially the XIX Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event that was celebrated in February 2002 in and around Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. Approximately 2,400 athletes from 77 nations participated in 78 events in fifteen disciplines, held throughout...
in Salt Lake City for doping
Doping (sport)
The use of performance-enhancing drugs in sport is commonly referred to by the term "doping", particularly by those organizations that regulate competitions. The use of performance enhancing drugs is mostly done to improve athletic performance. This is why many sports ban the use of performance...
.
Early career
Mühlegg participated for Germany in the 1992, 1994 and 1998 Winter Olympics1998 Winter Olympics
The 1998 Winter Olympics, officially the XVIII Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event celebrated from 7 to 22 February 1998 in Nagano, Japan. Seventy-two nations and 2,176 participans contested in seven sports and 72 events at 15 venues. The games saw the introduction of Women's ice...
, even though he began having trouble with the Germany's ski federation in 1993. From the beginning, Mühlegg singled himself out, at one point accusing German head coach Georg Zipfel for "damaging him spiritually" (the so-called Spiritistenaffäre). He was thrown out of the team in 1995, but was re-instated later. But from that moment on, the ever eccentric Mühlegg insisted on taking a flask of holy water at him at all times, and trusting only his Portuguese
Portuguese people
The Portuguese are a nation and ethnic group native to the country of Portugal, in the west of the Iberian peninsula of south-west Europe. Their language is Portuguese, and Roman Catholicism is the predominant religion....
cleaning woman/chaperon Justina Agostino. In the end, Mühlegg was branded as a team cancer and was thrown out.
Competing for Spain
After being ejected from the national team after the 1998 Nagano Games, his good relations with members of the Spanish cross-country skiing team, in particular Juan Jesús Gutierrez and Haritz Zunzunegui, opened the door for Mühlegg to obtain a Spanish citizenship.In late 1999, competing for Spain, he won a World Cup
FIS Cross-Country World Cup
The FIS Cross-Country World Cup is an annual cross-country skiing competition, arranged by the International Ski Federation since 1981. The competition was arranged unofficially between 1973 and 1981, although it received provisional recognition on the 31...
race for the first time. At the 2001 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships
2001 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships
The FIS Nordic World Ski Championships 2001 took place February 15–25, 2001 in Lahti, Finland for a record sixth time, previous events being held in 1926, 1938, 1958, 1978 and 1989...
in Lahti
Lahti
Lahti is a city and municipality in Finland.Lahti is the capital of the Päijänne Tavastia region. It is situated on a bay at the southern end of lake Vesijärvi about north-east of the capital Helsinki...
, he won two medals with a silver in the 10 km + 10 km combined pursuit (stepping up when the original medalist Jari Isometsä
Jari Isometsä
Jari Olavi Isometsä is a former Finnish cross country skier who competed from 1990 to 2006...
was disqualified for hemohes use), and a gold in the 50 km freestyle race.
In the 2002 Winter Olympics
2002 Winter Olympics
The 2002 Winter Olympics, officially the XIX Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event that was celebrated in February 2002 in and around Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. Approximately 2,400 athletes from 77 nations participated in 78 events in fifteen disciplines, held throughout...
in Salt Lake City, Mühlegg won gold medals in the 30 km freestyle and the 10 km + 10 km pursuit races, the successes gaining him congratulations from King Juan Carlos of Spain.
Mühlegg finished first in the 50 km classical race held on the final Saturday of the Salt Lake City Winter Olympic Games on 23 February 2002 but was disqualified from that race and was expelled from the Games the next day, after testing positive for darbepoetin¹ (a medicine which boosts red blood cell count; the substance was not banned at the time since it had only recently been developed).
Doping controversy
Following the darbepoetin scandal, the International Olympic Committee (IOC)International Olympic Committee
The International Olympic Committee is an international corporation based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin on 23 June 1894 with Demetrios Vikelas as its first president...
initially let Mühlegg keep his gold medals from the first two races, but in December 2003 a ruling by the Court of Arbitration for Sport
Court of Arbitration for Sport
The Court of Arbitration for Sport is an international arbitration body set up to settle disputes related to sport. Its headquarters are in Lausanne and its courts are located in New York, Sydney and Lausanne, Switzerland...
(CAS) found that these medals should also be withdrawn. The CAS remitted this case as well as similar ones involving Olga Danilova
Olga Danilova
Olga Danilova is a Russian cross country skier who competed from 1991 until she was banned for using performance enhancing drugs in 2002...
and Larisa Lazutina
Larisa Lazutina
Larisa Evgenevna Lazutina is a former professional cross country skier who competed for Russia during several Winter Olympic Games. In the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan, she won five medals in skiing events: three gold, a silver and a bronze...
(both from Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
) to the IOC Executive Board, which confirmed the rulings in February 2004. Nevertheless, publications appearing in professional literature since then indicate that the detection of prohibited substances at the 2002 Olympics may have been false as a result of less-than-perfect detection methodology, and the Olympic champions could therefore wrongly suffer IOC sanctions.
See also
- Cross-country skiing at the 2002 Winter OlympicsCross-country skiing at the 2002 Winter OlympicsThe cross-country skiing events at the 2002 Winter Olympics were marred by drug problems. The winners of three races were disqualified after blood tests showed that three skiers had overly high red blood cell counts indicating the use of darbepoetin, a drug used to treat anemia...
- List of sportspeople sanctioned for doping offences