Austrian triathlete Lisa Hütthaler banned for two years
Courtesy International Triathlon Union
November 7, 2008 -- The International Triathlon Union (ITU) today announced it will uphold a two-year ban imposed by the Austrian National Anti-Doping Agency on Austrian triathlete Lisa Hütthaler, who committed an anti-doping rule violation in an out-of-competition test in Vienna on March 22, 2008. The ban prohibits Hütthaler from entering or participating in any competition or activity authorized by ITU, its National Federations (NFs) and/or any other signatory to the World Anti-Doping Code.
Under its Anti-Doping Rules, ITU has nullified Hütthaler's results since the first test and will retract all prize money, which will be redistributed to affected athletes.
Hütthaler's anti-doping rule violation was a result of an adverse analytical finding of recombinant erythropoietin (EPO), a substance on the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Prohibited List.
The Österreichischer Triathlonverband (Austrian Triathlon Federation) was informed of the violation on April 28 by the Austrian Anti-Doping Agency. A hearing was conducted two days later in Vienna that included Walter Zettinig, the federation President, Vice Presidents Helmut Kaufmann and Andreas Paschinger, Hütthaler, her lawyer, and Herwig Grabner, Secretary General and Sport Director of Österreichischer Triathlonverband. During this hearing, Hütthaler was provisionally suspended.
Following the notification of the adverse analytical finding of her "A" sample, Hütthaler exercised her right under the ITU Doping Rules to have the "B" sample opened. This process began on May 21. The "B" Sample was opened and was analyzed using the ISO accredited methods. The analytical result confirmed the presence of recombinant erythropoietin (EPO) in the urine.
A second hearing was conducted on July 28 in Vienna. After a long legal dispute, the Austrian National Anti-Doping Agency officially banned Hütthaler for two years after a third hearing on October 23. The ban started on April 30, the date of her initial provisional suspension.
Hütthaler's first ITU race was the 2004 duathlon world championships but didn't race regularly until 2006. She made her world cup debut in 2007. Before this year her best world cup finish was 20th.