Rumours fly as Kuitunen withdraws from event in Sapporo
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The last-minute withdrawal of Finnish skiers Virpi Kuitunen and Aino-Kaisa Saarinen from the women's 10 km competition on Tuesday set off a storm in a Japanese teacup at the FIS Nordic Skiing World Championships.
The main focus of the rumours was Kuitunen, who was caught for doping as one of the infamous Finnish contingent using plasma expanders at the 2001 World Championships in Lahti.
At the post-race press conference featuring Tuesday's medallists, a German reporter asked winner Katerina Neumannova of the Czech Republic and Italian bronze medallist Arianna Follis what they thought of doping and of Kuitunen's withdrawal from the competition.
Neumannova commented that doping had been a major problem in the sport of cross-country skiing and that it had not been possibly to eradicate it altogether, but stated that it had nothing to do with Kuitunen's situation in this race.
"Back" repeated Follis, and asked her coach for some help in expressing that the explanation for Kuitunen's absence was lower back pain.
The questions were not put to the Russian silver medallist Olga Savyalova, since she does not speak any English. Apparently it was not thought necessary to use an interpreter to make the enquiry.
The Finnish team had announced that Saarinen and Kuitunen would not start just three hours before the race. There had been a statement on Monday that both women would be reaching their own decision on whether to take part shortly before the off.
Kuitunen was suffering from back pain (which has plagued her entire season so far, however successful she might have been to date), and Saarinen had flu symptoms.
The Finnish head coach Magnar Dalen would not be drawn on the rumours going around.
"I don't comment on rumours. Virpi and Anna-Kaisa would have skied today if there had not been an important relay event coming up on Thursday." The Finns rather fancy their chances of a medal in Thursday's competition.
The centre of all the rumours then turned up herself shortly afterwards at the ski stadium and answered the questions of Finnish journalists.
A smiling Kuitunen said that she had gone out for a 40-minute training circuit in the morning, to see how her back was feeling. There was enough pain to make her think the best course of action was to withdraw and wait for Thursday.
Kuitunen said she now rather regretted taking part in the pursuit event on Sunday, from which she retired in any case before the finish.
She also said that had Tuesday's 10 km race been the last event on the Sapporo World Championships card, she would have gone for it.
As it is, she is saving herself for the relay and the individual 30 km competition.
Aino-Kaisa Saarinen was resting in the team's hotel. According to a team spokesman she, too, went for a ski in the morning, in the hope that it might shift her ‘flu somewhat.
It did not, and she came back complaining of a sore throat and tight chest.
As a Helsingin Sanomat journalist commented, it was probably inevitable that Kuitunen's absence would be interpreted as a sign that she was trying to dodge something.
One might make the comparison of an employee who has already been warned about his or her drinking, who rings in on a Monday morning and tells the boss: "Sorry, I can't come in today, my back is playing up".
Of course, nothing should be believed until proof to the contrary has been supplied, but under the current rigorous testing system that athletes have to undergo, it is not possible to swerve one's way through a major championship by ducking events.
Kuitunen has already been tested twice in Sapporo after her two podium appearances.
Helsingin Sanomat
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| 28.2.2007 - TODAY |
 Rumours fly as Kuitunen withdraws from event in Sapporo |
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