The German cross-country skiing Olympic champion Katharina Hennig Dotzler has reacted to the doping case involving her colleague Victoria Carl. Carl is temporarily banned after her positive doping test and will most likely miss the upcoming World Cup winter and the 2026 Olympics. “It’s bad to be in a situation like this. On doctor’s advice, Victoria took a juice for her cough and then was positive for clenbuterol,” said Hennig Dotzler in an interview with the “Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung”. The 29-year-old surprisingly won gold in the team sprint with Carl in Beijing in 2022.
“Victoria’s case has definitely made us all more aware”
“We learn from an early age that we are responsible for what goes into our bodies. We have to check every medication and every dietary supplement very carefully. Victoria’s case has definitely made us all more aware,” said Hennig Dotzler, who also dreams of a medal again in 2026.
The 30-year-old Carl tested positive for the banned substance clenbuterol during a check outside the World Cup last March. The calf fattening agent is a medication that is primarily used to treat respiratory diseases such as asthma.
The National Anti-Doping Agency (Nada) and the German Ski Association (DSV) announced on Tuesday that Carl’s participation in the 2026 Olympics was ruled out according to the current status of the proceedings.
“It is still difficult for me to accept that carelessness and incorrect medical treatment will now lead to my Olympic dream being shattered,” said Carl in a DSV statement on Tuesday. It remains unclear when a decision will be made with an exact sentence.