'Doping doctor' articles win investigative reporting award
This year's Bonnier Prize, a 40,000-euro award for outstanding investigative journalism, has been awarded to Kärt Anvelt for her articles in January and June on the "doping doctor" Vitali Bernatski.
The coverage resulted in hearings before a special committee where the accused athletes pled no contest to the charges. The article also resulted in changes to legislation - use of illegal sports performance enhancers is now a second-degree crime.
Anvelt also earned the prize in 1998 for her work on controversial kidney transplant operations performed in Tallinn by doctors from Israel on Israeli patients.
Two other nominees were Marta Jaakson and Hannes Sarv for a series of articles on the shady practice of using all but fictitious entities to get companies out of debt, and Piret Reiljan and Koit Brinman for their investigation into fuel retailer Olerex's role in a claimed swindle.
The three nominees were chosen from 17 entries.
The 40,000-euro prize money is put up by the Swedish media group Bonnier.
Editor: M. Oll