The Winter Olympics has been embroiled in a ‘blood doping’ scandal after a cache of secret data was leaked.
Despite hundreds escaping bans, bombshell documents show some skiers blood was so dangerously thick that they should have been in hospital.
The database contains the results of more than 10,000 blood tests from 2,000 winter sports star.
They show that a third of all medals – including 91 golds – were won by skiers who recorded suspicious test results during the Olympics and world championships since 2001, according to The Sunday Times.
Despite hundreds escaping bans, the bombshell documents show some skiers blood was so dangerously thick that they should have been in hospital. Pictured: Alexander Legkov, who was embroiled in the Sochi 2014 doping scandal
The data contains results from cross-country skiers from 2001 to 2010 — many are still competing today. Pictured: Riot police patrol the Olympic village in South Korea
The cache also reveals that more than 50 South Korean skiers on the qualification list scored abnormal blood test score — suggesting they could have cheated in the past yet escape sanction.
The likely worst offender was Russia, which has been banned from competing under its own flag at the Olympics, and topped the list of cheating countries.
The fresh doping scandal comes just days before the opening ceremony in Pyeongchang this Friday.
The fresh doping scandal comes just days before the opening ceremony in Pyeongchang this Friday. Pictured: Riot police patrol the Olympic village in South Korea
Organisers had hoped for a fresh start following the 2014 Sochi Games, during which Russian secret agents tampered with blood test scores in laboratories.
Now, the Russian Olympic Committee is pushing for many of the same competitors to be allowed to compete in South Korea — including cross-country skiing gold medallist Alexander Legkov.
Legkov received a life-time ban that was overturned in a controversial ruling last week by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Organisers had hoped for a fresh start following the 2014 Sochi Games, during which Russian secret agents tampered with blood test scores in laboratories. Pictured: Alexander Legkov, whose life-time ban was overturned last week
The worst offender was Russia, which has been banned from competing under its own flag at the Olympics, and topped the list of cheating countries. Pictured;
The database was leaked to The Sunday Times and German broadcaster ARD by a whistleblower who had serious concerns about the Games’ integrity.
The data contains results from cross-country skiers from 2001 to 2010 — many are still competing today.
Expert analysis of the information found that many skiers had used two common blood doping techniques similar to those used by disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong.
Athletes either injected themselves with the banned drug erythropoitin (EPO) or were given transfusions of their own blood that had been removed earlier.
James Stray-Gundersen, an American physician who worked in the past with the International Ski Federation (FIS), told The Sunday Times: ‘There are a significant number of medallists that had abnormal or highly abnormal blood profile results that suggested there is a significant incidence of doping.’
The experts noted that there was a significantly higher prevalence of extreme blood scores among athletes who won medals in main events.
The experts noted that there was a significantly higher prevalence of extreme blood scores among athletes who won medals in main events. Pictured: Gold medallist Alexander Legkov of Russia celebrates during Sochi 2014
A total of more than 290 skiers recorded blood tests that were suggestive of doping.
That figure amounts to one in six of those recorded on the database.
The experts focused on results from top skiers who won medals in cross-country events at the Olympics and world championships since 2001.
The scandal has seen 254 Olympic and world championship medals won by skiers who had blood tests classed as ‘likely doping’ or ‘suspicious’.
More than 100 medals were won by skiers from Germany, Sweden, Norway and Italy who had suspicious test results.
But Russia topped the list with a total of 60 medals awarded to athletes who may have been using banned substances.
The FIS said it did not comment on ‘suspicious’ test results.
It added that the World Anti-Doping Agency had been ‘more than satisfied’ with its anti-doping efforts.