Athletics: Police discover doping cache

STOCKHOLM, Sweden - Police in Gothenburg today said they had found a bag containing what appeared to be materials used for doping near the venue of the European athletics championships, which ended yesterday.

In a separate scandal, former world high jump record holder Patrik Sjoberg told Swedish media he had been detained by police after using cocaine at a party in Gothenburg.

The suspect bag was found in a waste bin on a street within easy walking distance of the Ullevi stadium, where the European championships took place,.

"Before noon, a bag containing what we believe is doping equipment, syringes and catheters was found," Swedish police said in a statement. "Most of what has been found has been used."

Police released a photograph of a blue bag full of used syringes, needles, tubes and small bottles.

"Another bag was found later which had equipment for blood transfusions," they added.

No suspect had been identified linked to the bags and an investigation of the contents would take place.

Sjoberg, who won medals at three Olympic Games and set his world record in 1987, said in an open letter to Swedish media that he had been detained in central Gothenburg.

"In the night to Sunday August 13 I did something stupid: I sniffed cocaine at a party for 'old' athletes," he said.

Swedish Athletics Association president Yngve Andersson told Reuters that relay runner Patrik Lovgren had contacted him to say that he had also been detained.

"He has confirmed he was in the group that police asked to take some tests," Andersson said. The test was for cocaine, he added.

Lovgren was a reserve in Sweden's 4x100 metres relay team at last week's European championships.

Sven Nylander, a former national 400 metres hurdler, told broadcaster TV4's website that he had also been detained by police and underwent a urine test.

Hans Svensson, chairman of the Clean Sport anti-doping organisation, told national broadcaster SVT that Nylander had decided to step down from his work as operational head of the body.

Clean Sport is an organisation that includes some of Sweden's top athletes and aims to combat doping in sport.

- REUTERS