Jari Isometsä
Encyclopedia
Jari Olavi Isometsä (born September 11, 1968 in Alatornio, now a part of Tornio
) is a former Finnish
cross country skier who competed from 1990 to 2006. He won three bronze medals in the 4 x 10 km relay at the Winter Olympics (1992, 1994, 1998).
Isometsä also won four medals at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships
with two silvers (4 x 10 km: 1995, 1997) and two bronzes (4 x 10 km: 1991, 10 km + 15 km combined pursuit: 1995). In the World Cup, he took four victories in races between 10 km and 30 km.
Isometsä was among the six Finnish skiers who were caught of doping
in the Finnish 2001 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships
scandal for taking hydroxyethyl starch
(HES), a blood plasma
expander usually used to cover up the use of erythropoietin
(EPO) in athletes. He was stripped of his silver medal in the 10 km + 10 km combined pursuit and served a two year suspension from the FIS
, IOC, and World Anti-Doping Agency
(WADA
), effectively ending his career as a world-class skier.
Since July 2009 Isometsä has worked as a sales manager for football club FC Honka
.
In June 2011, in connection with a case involving Suomen Tietotoimisto
's reporting of doping use among Finnish cross country skiers, Isometsä gave a sworn testimony against having ever used EPO. The next day, a doctor gave a contrary statement in media, claiming that he had prescribed and bought EPO hormones for Isometsä on multiple occasions between 1998–2000. The court proceedings will be delayed in light of the new evidence.
Tornio
Tornio is a town and municipality in Lapland, Finland. The municipality covers an area of of which is water. The population density is , with a total population of . It borders to the Swedish municipality of Haparanda...
) is a former Finnish
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
cross country skier who competed from 1990 to 2006. He won three bronze medals in the 4 x 10 km relay at the Winter Olympics (1992, 1994, 1998).
Isometsä also won four medals at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships
FIS Nordic World Ski Championships
The FIS Nordic World Ski Championships have been held in various numbers and types of events since 1925 for men and since 1954 for women. Championship events include nordic skiing's three disciplines: cross-country skiing, ski jumping, and nordic combined...
with two silvers (4 x 10 km: 1995, 1997) and two bronzes (4 x 10 km: 1991, 10 km + 15 km combined pursuit: 1995). In the World Cup, he took four victories in races between 10 km and 30 km.
Isometsä was among the six Finnish skiers who were caught of doping
Doping (sport)
The use of performance-enhancing drugs in sport is commonly referred to by the term "doping", particularly by those organizations that regulate competitions. The use of performance enhancing drugs is mostly done to improve athletic performance. This is why many sports ban the use of performance...
in the Finnish 2001 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships
2001 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships
The FIS Nordic World Ski Championships 2001 took place February 15–25, 2001 in Lahti, Finland for a record sixth time, previous events being held in 1926, 1938, 1958, 1978 and 1989...
scandal for taking hydroxyethyl starch
Hydroxyethyl starch
Hydroxyethyl starch is a nonionic starch derivative. It is one of the most frequently used volume expander under the trade names Hespan by B. Braun Medical Inc...
(HES), a blood plasma
Blood plasma
Blood plasma is the straw-colored liquid component of blood in which the blood cells in whole blood are normally suspended. It makes up about 55% of the total blood volume. It is the intravascular fluid part of extracellular fluid...
expander usually used to cover up the use of erythropoietin
Erythropoietin
Erythropoietin, or its alternatives erythropoetin or erthropoyetin or EPO, is a glycoprotein hormone that controls erythropoiesis, or red blood cell production...
(EPO) in athletes. He was stripped of his silver medal in the 10 km + 10 km combined pursuit and served a two year suspension from the FIS
International Ski Federation
The International Ski Federation, known by its name in French, Fédération Internationale de Ski is the main international organisation for ski sports...
, IOC, and World Anti-Doping Agency
World Anti-Doping Agency
The World Anti-Doping Agency , , is an independent foundation created through a collective initiative led by the International Olympic Committee . It was set up on November 10, 1999 in Lausanne, Switzerland, as a result of what was called the "Declaration of Lausanne", to promote, coordinate and...
(WADA
World Anti-Doping Agency
The World Anti-Doping Agency , , is an independent foundation created through a collective initiative led by the International Olympic Committee . It was set up on November 10, 1999 in Lausanne, Switzerland, as a result of what was called the "Declaration of Lausanne", to promote, coordinate and...
), effectively ending his career as a world-class skier.
Since July 2009 Isometsä has worked as a sales manager for football club FC Honka
FC Honka
FC Honka is a Finnish football club, based in Tapiola, Espoo. It was promoted into the Finnish premier division , for the first time in its history, at the end of the 2005 season. The club's manager is Mika Lehkosuo, and it plays its home matches at Tapiolan urheilupuisto...
.
In June 2011, in connection with a case involving Suomen Tietotoimisto
Suomen Tietotoimisto
Oy Suomen Tietotoimisto – Finska Notisbyrån Ab is a Finnish news agency, established in 1887 and based in Helsinki. Its largest owners are Alma Media, Sanoma and Turun Sanomat. YLE also owns a part of it....
's reporting of doping use among Finnish cross country skiers, Isometsä gave a sworn testimony against having ever used EPO. The next day, a doctor gave a contrary statement in media, claiming that he had prescribed and bought EPO hormones for Isometsä on multiple occasions between 1998–2000. The court proceedings will be delayed in light of the new evidence.