IOC to review Austrian doping raids affair

KUWAIT CITY, Nov 27 (Reuters) The International Olympic Committee is set to discuss the Austrian doping raids affair that rocked the 2006 Winter Olympics.

But it is not expected to issue any immediate decision due to a continuing investigation in Italy, an IOC official said today.

The IOC's Executive Board is due to meet tomorrow and Wednesday in Kuwait.

The presence of banned Austrian coach Walter Mayer at the Turin Games in February prompted the IOC to launch co-ordinated night-time raids with the Italian police on the hotels of the Austrian cross-country and biathlon teams.

Ten Austrian athletes were dope-tested but all were found to be clean.

The affair, which ended with Mayer fleeing and crashing his car just inside Austria, prompted a criminal investigation by Italian authorities and shook the Games.

Mayer is suing IOC president Jacques Rogge for alleged defamation, saying he had done nothing wrong and was in Italy as a private citizen.

''This (Austrian raids) issue will be discussed but as the investigation is still ongoing in Italy no decision can be taken,'' an IOC official close to the probe told Reuters.

He said the IOC had received an initial report by the Italians but until authorities completed their investigation the IOC could not act.

The Austrian city of Salzburg is bidding to host the 2014 Winter Games. South Korea's Pyongchang and the Russian Black Sea port of Sochi are also shortlisted.

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