Featured Image: Police raiding the scene of doping scandal. (Source: Georg Hochmuth/Getty Images)

During the Nordic Skii World Championships in Austria and Germany, nine people were arrested during a doping raid. Two athletes from Austria, one from Kazakstan and two from Estonia were arrested amongst the nine involved. Austrian federal police said they searched nine properties in the German city in Erfurt, arresting two people who are considered sport doctors and an accomplice with them.

“The Erfurt-based criminal group is strongly suspected of having carried out blood doping on elite athletes for years to increase their performance in national and international competitions and thereby to gain illegal income,” the federal police said.

Austria’s Federal Police Office (FPO) have apparently been strict with doping scandals over the years. Last year there was another doping scandal going on, where the FPO stated that they seized over $300,000 in bribes to cover up doping by Russian athletes over a span of several years. In 2007, six Austrian athletes partaking in the biathlon and cross-country skiing events were also arrested and banned from the Olympics for life for doping.

This event goes to show that despite knowing the risks of doping and the punishment that you will receive if caught, athletes continue to over conform. These Austrian athletes are so focused on winning and being the best they can be, that they will do anything to succeed and have an upper hand on athletes even with the severe consequences.

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