Veerpalu Case Is Shut, Says WADA, but Estonian Authorities Could Launch Own Investigation
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has said that they will not reopen Estonian skier Andres Veerpalu's case, despite introducing new rules which would have found the Olympic gold medalist guilty at his trial last year.
Ben Nichols, a spokesman for WADA, told Eesti Päevaleht today that they have no plans to reopen the case, and Matthieu Reeb, of the International Ski Federation, also said they will not initiate a new process.
The head of the Estonian anti-doping authority, Kristjan Port, told ERR radio on Friday, that they will question Veerpalu's coach and medical team on where they acquired the banned substance and how it got into the athlete's system, but gave no further details.
Postimees reported last week that WADA tightened up rules recently, and if Veerpalu would be on trial now, instead a year ago, he would be found guilty.
The two-time Olympic gold medalist was cleared of doping charges last March, although the investigative panel found many factors which indicated that Veerpalu did in fact administer banned substances.