Kyrö at doping scandal trial: trip to Netherlands was for information, not hormones

Former skiing coach says he had no idea Dutch coaching consultants were hormone dealers

Kari-Pekka Kyrö

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Kari-Pekka Kyrö, the former head coach of Finland’s national cross-country skiing team, denies allegations that he had bought illegal performance-enhancing substances in The Netherlands and smuggled them to Finland.
      At a trial which began in Vantaa District Court on Tuesday, Kyrö said that he had travelled to The Netherlands to gain know-how on coaching. In testimony at the trial on charges related to the sports doping scandal at the Lahti Nordic World Skiing Championships in 2001, Kyrö explained that both his trip to Amsterdam and his financial dealings with a Dutch criminal gang were motivated by a need to learn more about coaching.
     
State Prosecutor Pekka Koponen did not accept this explanation, wondering what coaching information he was getting by transferring money to a hormone dealer.
      According to the indictment, Kyrö acquired both growth hormone and EPO hormone in 1999 and 2000 in The Netherlands, and smuggled them into the country.
      The police investigation did not reveal where the substances ended up.
      Koponen says that the investigation gave strong indications that the use of performance-enhancing substances in Finnish competitive skiing has been more extensive than the scope of the present trial suggests. However, he added that the threshold for criminal charges is high.
     
Kyrö said that he used his own money to pay for the Dutch know-how. According to bank records, he had spent more than EUR 20,000 during the trips. Kyrö said that he believed that the investment would be worthwhile, because he would stand to benefit from the knowledge after he leaves the Finnish Skiing Federation.
      Kyrö said that he was especially interested in "information on support for coaching", such as nutrition information and the use of nutrition supplements.
      Kyrö also said that he was disappointed with the yield of his travel to The Netherlands. He also says that he was unaware that his contacts were involved in the illegal hormone trade.
     
Kyrö also emphasised that there is nothing illegal in getting information about sports doping, and that every coach should know about doping.
      Asked by the prosecutor where the information that he got is now, Kyrö said that he does not want to bring out his list of professors for fear that they would face attacks by the prosecutor and the media.
      Kyrö’s lawyer Tero Matsinen suggested that it would not even be theoretically possible to smuggle large amounts of hormones by air, as the ampoules might break if they were put in checked luggage, and that in hand baggage the hormone packages, which contain syringes and needles, would be difficult to get past the airport security check.
     
At Tuesday’s session of the trial, Kyrö was asked why his Dutch contacts had not backed up Kyrö’s story during their interrogation, speaking instead of hormone sales.
      In response, Kyrö suggested that they may have been subjected to leading questions and threats.
      The trial continues today, Wednesday.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Lahti doping scandal: Medicolegal Authority says doctors can disclose hormone use by skiers (21.4.2004)
  Doping scandal: Many skiers said to have contact with hormone underground (15.4.2004)
  Former skiing coach faces fraud and smuggling charges over Lahti doping case (2.4.2004)
  Former skiing head coach to be charged with smuggling and fraud (21.11.2003)

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