UPDATE 2-Biathlon-Austrian police seize drugs in raid on Kazakh team hotel

* Raid takes place during world championships

* Blood and urine samples also taken

* Kazakh federation head says substances were authorised (Adds comments by Kazakh spokesman)

VIENNA, Feb 9 (Reuters) - Austrian police said on Thursday they seized medicines in a raid on the Kazakh team's hotel rooms at the biathlon World Championships, while the head of the team's national federation said the substances in question had been approved for use.

Wednesday's late-night raid followed the seizure last month of a box containing used syringes, drug ampoules and International Biathlon Union event accreditations at a petrol station near the Italian border, police said in a statement.

Documents found in the box indicated its contents could be "assigned to" Kazakhstan's biathlon team, they said.

During the raid at the hotel, in which 30 officers took part, "numerous medical products and medicines" were seized and blood and urine samples taken, police added.

A spokesman for the Kazakh team said he was confident the athletes were authorised to use the substances seized.

"I have the documentation of all the substances we brought to Austria and I'm pretty sure there are no prohibited substances," the National Biathlon Federation of Kazakhstan's secretary general, Manas Ussenov, said.

"We are just waiting for the results of the tests," he said of the urine and blood samples taken from his country's 10 athletes, adding that the results of tests performed on the contents of the box were also pending.

Police said the investigation was continuing.

The championships are taking place in the Austrian Alpine resort of Hochfilzen. (Reporting by Francois Murphy; additional reporting by Olzhas Auyezov in Almaty; editing by John Stonestreet)

(This story has not been edited by economictimes.com and is auto–generated from a syndicated feed we subscribe to.)
Stay on top of business news with The Economic Times App. Download it Now!
FROM AROUND THE WEB

Promote content on Times of India network

Colombia

Breaking: Mumbai Man Drops 25kgs In 10 Days With 1 "Trick"

SlimNow

Forget 4%, now earn 8.65%* on your savings

Fundsindia

MORE FROM ECONOMIC TIMES

Infosys 'releases' 9,000 employees due to automation

Infrastructure

Scooter's back, with new hero on road

From Around the WebMore from The Economic Times

Kick your business into high gear.

GoDaddy

Check fair market value of any used vehicle

Droom

Upto 50% off on W’s trendy collection

WforWomen

Best ways to engage with your 2-12 year-old

Magic Crate

Rupee snaps nine-day rally, plunges by 19 paise to 67.41

UPDATE 1-Soccer-Ligue 1 summaries

ET In the classroom: CKYC in Mutual Funds

Nation & World