Johaug: There are no words that describe how awful I’ve felt about doping allegations

A weeping skier Therese Johaug at Thursday's press conferenceOslo.A weeping skier Therese Johaug at Thursday's press conference.Photo: Håkon Mosvold Larsen / NTB scanpix

Johaug met the press crying after Thursday’s doping disclosure where it became clear that the 28-year-old had tested positive for the banned substance clostebol after using the cream Trofodermin on  sun burnt lips.

-This situation is for me beyond words. There are no way to describe how awful I’ve felt for a week now. First, I would like to start by saying that I am completely shattered. I am desperate and angry over this situation that I have become involved in. I’ll sit here tall and tell everyone everything. I have zero responsibility in this matter. It has been a great burden for me. It has been the worst week of my life, explained the female cross country skier to the Press this Thursday.

Johaug said she got the cream from coach Fredrik S. Bendiksen during an altitude camp at Livigno in ltaly. She assured everyone that she asked the doctor if the cream was on the prohibited drug list and he said no.

– He is an expert in sports medicine and has over thirty years of experience. I had full confidence in him. I had absolutely no reason to not trust what he said to me.

The teams Physician Bendiksen was also present at the press conference at Ullevål. He is responsible for the Norwegian cross-country star ingesting a banned substance.
The drug Clostebol was found in a urine sample that was taken at a competition on Friday the 16th of September.

The 28-year-old admitted she had used the cream Trofodermin which contains the banned substance. Tuesday the 4th of October, she was informed by Anti-doping Norway that the substance was found in the sample.

The team’s Doctor Fredrik S. Bendiksen is resigning from his position after Therese Johaug was disqualified for use of the drug clostebol.

Source: NTB scanpix / Norway Today

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