An Austrian publication has released shocking footage of the moment that former Olympian Max Hauke was caught doping in preparation a race, as police walked in on him with a needle in his arm, midway through performing a blood transfusion.
The 26-year-old, who is also a police cadet, was one of nine people, including five athletes, who were arrested in raids in Seefeld on Thursday, coinciding with the Nordic World Ski Championship.
In the below video, Hauke is seen in the midst of self-administering a blood transfusion, as part of a complex process which was apparently intended to fool drug testers.
A statement released to the media indicates that he has since admitted to doping, and is co-operating with a police investigation.
Former professional skiier Max Hauke gets caught doping for the Ski World Cup.
He takes a drug which enhances red blood cell count, removes the blood, then after dope tests transfuses the doped blood. He was caught mid transfusion pic.twitter.com/s8n9Oy9WBp
— pupp Daddy (@MiamiSven) March 1, 2019
British skier Andrew Young, who trained with Max Hauke, reacted angrily to the news, telling local media that his friend should cop a lifetime ban for his “disgusting” actions. Young said:
“I am getting nauseous. It is disgusting to look at. There is no room for it in sports and I did not realise that he was doing it. It is difficult to describe what you feel after seeing a friend cheating. I don’t hate him, but at the same time I don’t want him back in the cross-country circuit. You can’t come back after you’ve done that.”
Hauke’s fellow cross-country skier Dominik Baldauf was also arrested in the raid. Markus Gandler of the Austrian Ski Association told national broadcaster Österreichischer Rundfunk that he is in “a state of shock” at the news.
Completely surreal. Two skiers I’ve competed with since I was 12 years old – who I have regularly chatted to every winter and would call genuine friends, have been arrested for blood doping… https://t.co/bWeABDvEHW
— Callum Smith (@Callumrsmith92) February 28, 2019
