Trial starts of German sports doctor accused of multiple doping on professional athletes
RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT
PLEASE SEE: EDIT NUMBER 3033 FOR PROSECUTION STATEMENT
VIDEO SHOWS: VARIOUS OF COURT / MUNICH COURT SPOKESMAN FLORIAN GLIWITZKY TALKING ABOUT CASE / DEFENDANTS ARRIVING FOR TRIAL / DEFENDANT MARK S. IN COURT
SHOWS: MUNICH, GERMANY (SEPTEMBER 16, 2020) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL)
1. PEOPLE QUEUING TO GET IN AT MUNICH COURT
2. VARIOUS OF PEOPLE QUEUING OUTSIDE COURT
3. SIGN ON COURT READING: CRIMINAL JUSTICE COURT
4. VARIOUS OF MUNICH COURT SPOKESMAN, FLORIAN GLIWITZKY SPEAKING TO JOURNALISTS
5. (SOUNDBITE) (German) MUNICH COURT SPOKESMAN, FLORIAN GLIWITZKY, SAYING:
"Among other things the defendant is accused of breaking anti-doping laws. This process is the first which is based around the anti-doping law and which doesn't concern sport in general but specifically professional sport."
6. VARIOUS OF GLIWITZKY TALKING TO JOURNALISTS
7. (SOUNDBITE) (German) MUNICH COURT SPOKESMAN, FLORIAN GLIWITZKY, SAYING:
"The court will have more than 20 hearing days to clarify the facts and to clarify the rules within the new law that makes manipulations in professional sport punishable. The legal principles also need to be developed which will most certainly be used as a precedent in future trials."
8. GLIWITZKY'S HANDS
9. GLIWITZKY STANDING
10. (SOUNDBITE) (German) MUNICH COURT SPOKESMAN, FLORIAN GLIWITZKY, SAYING:
"At the moment there are cases above all in winter sports and cycling which are also being referred to in the main trial. We will have to wait and see if and whether other sport disciplines were also involved. In total there are 5 defendants who will have the opportunity to speak in the trial should they wish to do so, but we will have to wait and see."
11. VARIOUS OF COURT ENTRANCE
12. SECURITY
13. PROSECUTION LAWYER, ANNE LEIDING GOING INTO COURT
14. COURT PAPER
15. JUSTICE LABEL ON SECURITY
16. PERSON HIDING FACE GOING INTO COURT
MUNICH, GERMANY (SEPTEMBER 16, 2020) (REUTERS POOL - ACCESS ALL)
17. DEFENCE LAWYER ARRIVING WITH DEFENDANT
18. MAIN DEFENDANT MARK S. IN COURT
19. VARIOUS OF CO-DEFENDANT WITH BLUE FOLDER OVER FACE
20. VARIOUS OF MARK S.
21. JUDGES STANDING IN COURT
22. VARIOUS OF MARK S. IN COURT
STORY: The first trial to take advantage of Germany's new doping law passed in 2015 opened in Munich on Wednesday (September 16) where Erfurt sports doctor Mark S. and 4 of his accomplices are on trial for over 100 instances of so-called blood-doping.
"Among other things the defendant is accused of breaking anti-doping laws. This process is the first which is based around the anti-doping law and which doesn't concern sport in general but specifically professional sport," Court Spokesman Florian Gliwitzky said outside the court.
The main defendant Mark S. is accused of doping crimes on professional international athletes spanning nearly a decade.
The prosecution has evidence dating back to the end of 2011 that Mark S. was carrying out a variety of blood transfusions including growth hormones on athletes across the world but mainly in Germany and Austria.
As of 2014 Mark S. was aided by a small group of helpers who not only gained and income from the crimes but also managed logistics that ensured drug tests would be clean, a press statement from the court said.
"The court will have more than 20 hearing days to clarify the facts and to clarify the rules within the new law that makes manipulations in professional sport punishable. The legal principles also need to be developed which will most certainly be used as a precedent in future trials," Gliwitzky said.
"At the moment there are cases above all in winter sports and cycling which are also being referred to in the main trial. We will have to wait and see if and whether other sport disciplines were also involved. In total there are 5 defendants who will have the opportunity to speak in the trial should they wish to do so, but we will have to wait and see," he added.
In 2017 a case also emerged of side-effects in a female athlete whom Mark S. gave untested substances to.
Athletes found guilty of doping before the law came into effect cannot be criminally charged.
Athletes could now face up to three-year sentences if found guilty of doping or even just the possession of drugs without a positive test.
Doctors or other individuals procuring the substances could be sent to jail for up to 10 years as the entourage of the athletes is also moved more into focus.
(Production: Ayhan Uyanik, Tanya Wood)
