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Austria police detain doping row coach after crash

Posted on: Sunday, 19 February 2006, 17:13 CST

VIENNA (Reuters) - An Austrian biathlon and cross-country coach at the center of a Winter Olympics doping probe was detained in Austria on Sunday night after crashing his car into a police barrier, Austrian news agency APA said.

APA quoted police in the southern Austrian village of Paternion as saying police approached Walter Mayer's car after residents reported it parked on a roadside and found him asleep in his vehicle.

Mayer sped off and crashed into two unoccupied police cars blocking the road after refusing to undergo an alcohol breath test, APA quoted police as saying.

Mayer, who was slightly injured, was taken into custody for avoiding a police control.

APA said his detention had nothing to do with the Italian police investigation launched after Mayer visited Austrian athletes at the Winter Olympics in nearby Italy despite a ban after a blood doping scandal at the 2002 Salt Lake City Games.

Mayer's visit spurred an Italian police raid on the Austrian biathlon and cross-country athletes' quarters late on Saturday. Ten athletes were taken for urine tests and police found used medical equipment including syringes, a police source said.

Source: REUTERS

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