page_title: Operation Aderlass
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: Operation Aderlass / History
caption_attribution_description: Svenska: Johannes Duerr på Royal Palace Sprint i Stockholm 2013.English: Johannes Duerr at Royal Palace Sprint in Stockholm March 20, 2013
context_page_description: Operation Aderlass is an investigation in Austria and Germany into alleged doping practices carried out by Erfurt-based German physician Mark Schmidt. Athletes from various disciplines have been named as alleged customers of Schmidt's, receiving illegal blood transfusion for the purpose of enhancing performances, with several of them having confessed.
context_section_description: The case first came to light through admissions by cross-country skier Johannes Dürr in late February 2019. He named Mark Schmidt, a physician based in the German city of Erfurt, as the head of an operation which carried out systematic blood doping. Schmidt had earlier been team doctor at both the Gerolsteiner and Milram cycling teams. In October 2009, Bernhard Kohl, who had been caught in a doping control while riding for Gerolsteiner in 2008, accused Schmidt of having overseen the doping practices. Schmidt denied the accusations. Following Dürr's statements, the police carried out a raid of the Erfurt offices on 27 February 2019. The investigation was carried out by the doping task force of the Munich police.
caption: Admissions by cross-country skier Johannes Dürr (pictured in 2013) led to the investigations.
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