German cross-country skier Victoria Carl broke her long public silence in an interview with Swedish broadcaster SVT and spoke about her doping ban.
"I simply trusted the doctor too much, and I'm extremely angry at myself for trusting him so much and not asking again whether we were even allowed to take it," she explained.
Carl tested positive for the banned substance clenbuterol during an out-of-competition test in the second quarter of 2025. The medication is primarily used to treat respiratory illnesses such as asthma.
Her suspension runs until November 25. She missed this year's Winter Games in Italy having won gold in the team sprint four years earlier in Beijing.
"To protect myself, I didn't follow the Olympic Games at all," Carl said.
"I hope to come back to the World Cup as strong as I was before. But I just don't know. It's going to be really difficult for me to get back into the competitive scene."