Cross-country skiing at the 2002 Winter Olympics

The Cross-country skiing events at the 2002 Winter Olympics were marred by drug problems. The winners of three races were disqualified after blood tests showed that three skiers had overly high red blood cell counts indicating the use of darbepoetin, a drug used to treat anemia. At the time, the drug was not specifically listed in the IOC's list of banned substances, but the Olympic rules generally prohibit doping of any kind, in accordance with its charter. After two years and several lawsuits in Olympic and Swiss courts, the skiers in question (Johann Mühlegg of Spain, and Larissa Lazutina and Olga Danilova of Russia) were stripped of all their medals from the 2002 Games.

See the external links below for the official IOC press releases containing detailed information of the doping cases and their resolution, including initial, intermediate, and final amended results. This article gives the final medalists as decided on by the IOC in early 2004.

Men's events

20 km (10km + 10km) pursuit

Thomas Alsgaard (NOR) Frode Estil (NOR) Per Elofsson (SWE)

Medal	Athlete	Time
Gold	49:48.9
Gold	49:48.9
Bronze	49:52.9

Johann Mühlegg won his second gold of the Games, dominating both parts of the pursuit race. Alsgaard and Estil tied for the silver medal. However, Mühlegg was disqualified by the IOC in February 2004, and so the Norwegians got the gold and Elofsson the bronze.

15 km classical

Andrus Veerpalu (EST) Frode Estil (NOR) Jaak Mae (EST)

Medal	Athlete	Time
Gold	37:07.4
Silver	37:43.4
Bronze	37:50.8

This event marked the first Olympic medals at the Winter Games for Estonia.

50 km classical

Mikhail Ivanov (RUS) Andrus Veerpalu (EST) Odd-Bjørn Hjelmeset (NOR)

Medal	Athlete	Time
Gold	2:06:20.8
Silver	2:06:44.5
Bronze	2:08:41.5

First-place finisher Mühlegg was disqualified after blood tests indicated the use of darbepoetin.

30 km freestyle mass start

Christian Hoffmann (AUT) Mikhail Botvinov (AUT) Kristen Skjeldal (NOR)

Medal	Athlete	Time
Gold	1:11:31.0
Silver	1:11:32.3
Bronze	1:11:42.7

Johann Mühlegg won his first and Spain's second ever Olympic winter gold, but was disqualified by the IOC in February 2004. This gave a much delayed Austrian double victory, and a bronze for veteran Skjeldal.

1.5 km sprint

Tor Arne Hetland (NOR) Peter Schlickenrieder (GER) Cristian Zorzi (ITA)

Medal	Athlete	Time
Gold	2:56.9
Silver	2:57.0
Bronze	2:57.2

4 × 10 km relay

Norway (Anders Aukland, Frode Estil, Kristen Skjeldal, Thomas Alsgaard) Italy (Fabio Maj, Giorgio di Centa, Pietro Piller Cottrer,Cristian Zorzi) Germany (Jens Filbrich, Andreas Schlütter, Tobias Angerer, René Sommerfeldt)

Medal	Team	Time
Gold	1:32:45.5
Silver	1:32:45.8
Bronze	1:33:34.5

In the third-in-a-row close Italy-Norway finish, the Norwegians beat Italy, as they did in 1998.

Women's events

10 km (5 km + 5 km) pursuit

Beckie Scott (CAN) Katerina Neumannova (CZE) Viola Bauer (GER)

Medal	Athlete	Time
Gold	25:09.9
Silver	25:10.0
Bronze	25:11.1

Olga Danilova surprisingly beat Larissa Lazutina with Scott taking third in a close finish for Canada's first ever cross-country skiing Olympic medal. When Danilova and Lazutina were stripped of their medals (in 2004 and 2003 respectively), Scott received a belated gold medal and Neumannova and Bauer moved up into medal positions.

10 km classical

Bente Skari (NOR) Julija Tchepalova (RUS) Stefania Belmondo (ITA)

Medal	Athlete	Time
Gold	28:05.6
Silver	28:09.9
Bronze	28:45.8

Bente Skari came from behind to beat the favourite Russians Danilova and Tchepalova in the last kilometers. After Danilova was disqualified in the IOC 2004 decision, Tchepalova moved up to silver and Belmondo to the bronze medal position.

30 km classical

Gabriella Paruzzi (ITA) Stefania Belmondo (ITA) Bente Skari (NOR)

Medal	Athlete	Time
Gold	1:30:57.1
Silver	1:31:01.6
Bronze	1:31:36.3

Russian skiers Lazutina, who finished first, and Danilova, who finished eighth, were disqualified after blood tests indicated the use of darbepoetin.

15 km freestyle mass start

Stefania Belmondo (ITA) Katerina Neumannová (CZE) Julija Tchepalova (RUS)

Medal	Athlete	Time
Gold	39:54.4
Silver	40:01.3
Bronze	40:02.7

After breaking a ski pole, the little Italian still managed to win the gold. Lazutina was disqualified in 2003, leading to Neumannova getting the silver and Tchepalova the bronze.