A German doctor named Mark S who was behind performance-enhancing blood transfusions since 2011 mostly for cross-country skiers and cyclists; has been sentenced to prison for four years and 10 months Munich court on Friday (15).
The defendant, identified in Germany only as Mark S, had admitted at the start of the trial in September to helping with doping but denied doing it for profit.
Four other suspects accused of helping him with the collection and supply of blood were also found guilty.
Mark S was found guilty on two dozen charges in relation to helping at least 23 athletes from eight countries gain an unfair advantage over several years. He had said he never put the athletes’ health at risk but did admit to blood doping.
The case is a result of “Operation Bloodletting” under which police raided the Nordic Ski World Championships in Austria in February 2019 and arrested athletes just hours before the start of an event. Mark S. was arrested in Germany.
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