Actually, Molly really doesn’t look like you should have before your big fear. With their graceful shape, the dark, beady eyes, large floppy ears and a liver-colored polka dots on its white glossy coat, they tend to be the impulse to hug you immediately. “She looks fantastic, is a very dear dog,” says Michael Sjöö, owner. “At least, as long as you have no bad intentions. Then you should be afraid of her.“
Molly is the world’s first Anti-Doping dog and hunts for Sweden’s Anti-Doping Agency sports cheaters – so it is the first specifically to doping substances trained sniffer dog. Normally, these rummaged through a maximum in the case of customs or police to the drugs such as cocaine, told Michael Sjöö. “We wanted to try something New. In the fight against Doping, we are already at long last.“
Doper is to be transferred to difficult. Sjöö refers not only to the top of the sport. “In Sweden, we have in the company of a real Problem. Almost everyone swallows something for the Beachbody. Normal people, Amateur athletes – not athletes only,“ he explains. “We want to show that we are responding to the Trend. We no longer test only the blood and urine – but now also a dog.“
intelligence is the Spaniel in the genes
Molly seems to be predestined for the task. With up to 300 million olfactory cells in their wet nose, you can smell about 60 Times better than humans, for example, she smells prey in a distance of one kilometre or within the winter sport up to eight metres under a blanket of Snow. If someone has something to hide, anxious, sweating or a too high level of testosterone, it is discovered immediately.
For a year, Molly is now in the service of the investigator. But APB is in your family. Molly is a Springer Spaniel. Originally from Northern Ireland. The hunting dog tradition of the race dates back to the 17th century. A century back. “Springer,” which in this case means that the dog spooks its prey: in the past, hares and partridges. Now just Doper and Dealer.
she sticks her snout in the bags and the trash can. Only to people directly you may not get it. “The remains left to us,” says Michael Sjöö – as soon as Molly hormones sniffs in Sweden, sports facilities or training camps. She was already in national and international competitions. Most recently, she is trudging cross-country skiing with her in blue socks stuffed paws and a cuddly blanket around the belly looped through the snow.
Every day, Molly learns “” new substances
The cold is preparing your sensitive nose, no problems. “We’ve trained them to extra on it,” said Sjöö. Six months intensive course in open and closed terrain. Testosterone, steroids and the like can find Molly without a problem. Every day you learn new substances. The Form In which, therefore, is no matter, says Sjöö. Molly could find glass ampoules with liquid substances as well, such as powder substances and pills. “Even in the ice hockey cabin, she found the other day a bit,” said Sjöö. “And that’s pretty impressive. Can you imagine how it smells after the game in a Football booth?“
In may, Molly, five years old. For a little more than a year, she is in the Sjöös. The reactions were largely positive, says its owner. “It’s just fun with her. And if we come up with a pretty dog to control, solves the tension in the room is also a bit of time. At least if you have nothing to hide.“
Doping in Sweden is punishable by law
Sweden, like Germany a new Anti-Doping law. The taking, possession and trade of illegal performance enhancing substances is a criminal offence – not only for top athletes, but also for the General population. “Depending on the Seriousness of the offence, everything is between a fine and six years in prison is possible,” writes Tommy Forsgren of the Swedish Anti-Doping Agency. Has Molly been up to with someone to prison? Details must not betray Forsgren due to ongoing investigations. But: “We’ve had a number of Successes.” Also athletes had been tested according to their test location.
to run The pilot project with Molly to until the summer. After that, then more sniffers could follow – it goes to the Swedes, and not only for them. Other Nations such as the UK and Denmark have inquired already. In Germany, one can imagine the doping investigation on four paws. “In the sports law, the use of dogs is not explicitly mentioned, but also not excluded”, says Eva colorful Hoff of the National Anti-Doping Agency (Nada). Yet you sit here on the usual analyses.
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Michael Sjöö would like to go with Molly to the exchange in the Bonn Headquarters of the Nada over. For the first time dog and owner have to do. When and where she shows up next, should not Michael Sjöö betrayed. In Sweden Are the Ski-Alpin, but currently world Cup. At the beginning of March for the Biathlon world Cup is coming to Östersund. Molly and Michael Sjöö life in the vicinity.
