Kohl's ex-manager arrested over doping allegations

VIENNA — The former manager of banned Austrian cyclist Bernhard Kohl has been arrested for allegedly supplying performance-enhancing substances to athletes. Police arrested 34-year-old Stefan Matschiner immediately after he returned to Austria from a trip to the United States, prosecution spokeswoman Michaela Schnell said Tuesday. Matschiner allegedly sold doping products after Austria's toughened anti-doping laws took effect in August 2008, prosecution said. Under the new law, selling banned substances is a criminal offense with prison terms of up to five years. Matschiner is a former 1,500-meter runner who founded the sports agency ISA in 2003. According to its Web site, the agency currently manages 23 track and field athletes, mainly from Kenya. Kohl has been banned for two years after a doping violation at last year's Tour de France. Kohl told the Austria Press Agency he was "not surprised" by his former manager's arrest. The 27-year-old cyclist said he has been cooperating with anti-doping officials but declined to elaborate until a news conference Thursday. "I am not allowed to say anything until Thursday because of danger of collusion," Kohl was quoted as saying by APA. Austrian triathlete Lisa Huetthaler, who was suspended last fall for using an endurance boosting hormone, said last week that Matschiner had been her main supplier. Huetthaler said she paid Matschiner roughly €15,000 ($20,206) for doses of EPO. Matschiner has denied the allegations. Prosecutors said several other athletes had also brought up the manager's name in relation to doping suppliers. Prosecutors declined to confirm local media reports that police searched Matschiner's house for banned substances and doping equipment. Austria increased its efforts to eradicate doping after the 2006 Turin Olympics scandal, when Italian police raided the Austrian cross-country and biathlon team lodgings, seizing a large amount of doping products and equipment. Last week, former Austrian Nordic skiing coach Walter Mayer was arrested on suspicion of selling doping substances three years after triggering the Olympic scandal. Prosecutors declined to say whether they believe there's a link between Matschiner's arrest and Mayer's case, which also involved Austrian cyclist Christoph Kerschbaum and an unidentified pharmacist from Vienna. Kerschbaum was released from custody a week ago, 11 days after being arrested for allegedly supplying doping substances to other riders. The pharmacist allegedly provided Kerschbaum and Mayer with the performance-enhancing substance EPO and other banned drugs over an extended period of time. – AP