Hoffman banned for 6 years

    December 6, 2011

    Former Olympic cross-country ski champion Christian Hoffmann of Austria, who retired from the sport in 2009, has been given a six-year ban for blood doping.

    The disciplinary committee of NADA, Austria's anti-doping agency, said Tuesday it found Hoffmann guilty of having his blood taken for doping purposes at a Vienna lab between 2003 and '06 and possessing a centrifuge for blood enrichment.

    The 36-year-old Hoffmann won gold in the 30-kilometre race at the 2002 Salt Lake City Games and was part of the Austrian relay team that won the world title in 1999. He holds six World Cup titles.....