After Long Denial, Ski Association Head Resigns, Coach Alaver Put on Leave
The Ski Association said its secretary general of seven years, Jüri Järv, stepped down from his post today and that head coach Mati Alaver would be put on administrative leave until the International Court of Arbitration for Sport makes its ruling on the Andrus Veerpalu case.
Alaver - who will be substituted by the association's sports director Raul Olle - had said previously that he would resign if Olympic gold medalist Veerpalu, who suspiciously withdrew from his final World Cup race last year, was found guilty of having used the banned human growth hormone.
In April, Järv had flat-out lied when the news broke of the scandal that shook Estonia, in which one of the nation's most successful sports champions and loved role models faced doping charges.
The Ski Association announced it would hold a special general assembly meeting on November 26.
In an interview to ETV yesterday, the association's new president, Sandor Liive, said that both Alaver and Järv had asked him whether they should resign, but it was agreed that they would wait for the Court of Arbitration ruling.
“My simple stance is that if it is possible for an person to continue his or her job so that problems from the past do not interfere, then continue. Otherwise it would be right to resign," Liive said, adding that there are plenty of strong coaches who could replace Alaver.
Ott Tammik