Olga Danilova

Olga Danilova, who was one of the top female cross-country skiers of the world at the second half of 1990s, took up skiing in 1982. Known as a classical specialist, Danilova first competed at the 1992 Winter Olympics, but her breakthrough year was 1995, when she won her first major international tournament medals – gold in relay and bronze in pursuit at the World Championships. The high point of her career was probably at the 1998 Olympics, where she won golds in relay and 15 km classical style and silver in pursuit. At the World Championships, besides her 1995 medals, Danilova won relay golds in 1997, 1999 and 2001, four silvers (5 km classical and 30 km classical in 1999, 10 km classical and 30 km classical in 2001) and two bronzes (5 km classical in 1997 and in pursuit in 2001). She also won the 30 km classical event at the Holmenkollen Ski Festival in 2000, won five World Cup events during her career and her best finish in overall World Cup standing was fourth, which she achieved in both the 1994-95 and 1999-00 seasons.

Danilova also competed at the 2002 Winter Olympics, where she was considered one of the favorites in classical events. After finishing first in pursuit and second in 10 km classical at the 2002 Olympics, Danilova was one of three cross-country skiers (together with Johann Mühlegg and Larisa Lazutina) who was disqualified after blood tests indicated the use of darbepoetin, a drug intended to boost red blood cell production. Danilova received a two-year ban, which also ended her competitive career, and was stripped of her 2002 medals. Although later, in 2005, it was proven that the blood test WADA used during the 2002 Olympics, was seriously flawed, resulting in many false positives, her 2002 standings were not reinstated by IOC.