Athletics: Austria dopers face jail

Athletes in Austria caught doping could be charged with serious fraud and face prison terms of up to 10 years, according to an amendment to the national fraud act which is expected to take effect on January 1, 2010.

Under Austria's current anti-doping laws, possessing and selling banned substances are already a criminal offence, but not the actual use of the drugs.

The legislation was introduced after a doping scandal rocked the Austrian biathlon and cross country teams at the 2006 Turin Olympics, and cyclist Bernhard Kohl admitted using an illegal blood-booster after finishing third in last year's Tour de France.