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Tuesday 24 November 2020
One of Germany’s largest doping tests will continue in the summer of 2021. Another defendant read a statement during the trial of Dr Mark S.
Dirk Q. first spoke in the blood doping trial involving doctor Mark S. On Tuesday, the fifth defendant in the trial had a statement read by one of his defense attorneys. In it, the building contractor described, among other things, how “a friendship” had developed with the main defendant beyond the doctor-patient relationship. At first he “felt obliged” to her, the statement said. Mark S. used to support Dirk Q. in difficult situations. It was clear to him that “I will help him even when he needs me,” was read. Dirk Q. has always taken a daily rate of 200 euros for his services, just like for manual jobs.
Dirk Q. was available for carrying blood bags, but was not suitable for blood sampling. He also did not know that his services were things that “perhaps serve doping purposes” or that could be criminally relevant. He saw no reason to “suspect illegality”. Also, according to the statement, Dirk Q. had always thought he was Mark S’s only aide.
Dirk Q. has been in custody alongside Mark S. since early 2019 because, according to the prosecutor, he also drew blood from athletes and injected them again, including during the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang. Dirk Q. admitted he was actively involved in a blood return for a longtime Kazakh cross-country skier. “Mark didn’t force me to do anything, at best he reminded me at one time or another that I owe him a favor,” she said. After reading, he left open whether Dirk Q. would like to comment further.
“We decided it together”
A former client of Mark S. was previously heard as a witness. A former Austrian mountain biker had received a new kind of preparation from the doctor in mid-September 2017 and immediately after taking it she had a physical reaction in the form of a severe cold sensation in her hands and feet. “I always felt in good hands,” said the woman, who was also Mark S.’s that day. The new drug consisted of dried blood cells that were dissolved in saline and then injected. It was supposed to replace conventional blood doping.
“I knew it was not an official drug,” admitted the Austrian. However, he speculated that it was already around among athletes in the United States. Mark S. is accused of dangerous personal injury, among other things. The athlete did not agree with the presentation that he had asked the doctor for the new preparation. “I didn’t ask anyone to do the treatment. I accepted,” she said. “We decided it together.”
Doctor Mark S., as the main defendant in the blood doping trial, has confessed and admitted to the manipulation since 2012. In a statement, the Erfurt native admitted that since that year he has mainly dealt with enthusiasts winter sports and cyclists. However, he stressed that it wasn’t about the money, but that he had only worked to break even. The largest German anti-doping trial in recent years will now be extended. In fact, December 21 has been set as the last date for the main hearing. Further meetings are now scheduled until 11 June.
Co-defendant Dirk Q.’s defense attorneys failed to summon former professional cyclist and doping agent Jörg Jaksche and anti-doping scientist as witnesses. The court rejected these requests.
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