Despite intensive investigations by the Austrian authorities, the accused members of the Russian biathlon team are allowed to leave the country after the World Cup in Hochfilzen. This was announced by a spokeswoman for the Vienna Economic and Corruption Prosecutor's Office. In addition, there are currently no formal orders for interrogations. However, every suspect is free at any time to speak to the authorities about the allegations, it was said by the media.

The public prosecutor in Austria is investigating potential doping violations at the 2017 World Cup in Hochfilzen against ten members of the Russian team. On Thursday, it was announced that five investigators are under investigation for "using prohibited substances or methods for the purpose of doping" and five against "serious fraud related to doping". The athletes include the top biathletes Alexander Loginow and Anton Schipulin. Not all the accused are currently in Hochfilzen.

The Russians got a visit from the police one day before the World Cup start on Wednesday in the team hotel, there were no searches or interrogations. At the World Cup in Hochfilzen, the Russian athletes want to participate in the competitions until Sunday.

World Champion Doll is on podium

There was also sport in Hochfilzen this Friday: World Champion Benedikt Doll has finished third in the World Cup sprint. At the site of his greatest success, the faultlessly shooting German over the ten kilometers had beaten only the Norwegian Johannes Thingnes Bø and the Frenchman Martin Fourcade.

Bø had to go into the penalty loop and was still 10.2 seconds faster than Doll, Fourcade had also remained without a shooting error and was 1.6 seconds ahead of the German at the end. The archery champion Arnd Peiffer, who also stayed clean at the shooting range, completed the good German result in fifth. ,