Milla Saari (née Jauho; born 10 July 1975) is a Finnish former cross-country skier who competed from 1994 to 2007. She was best known for her doping role in the 2001 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships doping scandal that affected five other Finnish skiers for taking hydroxyethyl starch, a blood plasma expander. Saari, then Jauho, was part of the 4 × 5 km relay team that finished second, but would be disqualified for her blood doping and would receive a two-year suspension from the FIS as a result. She also finished sixth in the 15 km event at those same championships.
Saari competed at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano where she finished 31st in the 15 km event and 50th in the 30 km event. She earned all four of her individual career victories up to 10 km after she served her two-year doping suspension from 2003 to 2005.
Saari retired after the 2006–07 World Cup season.FIS Newsflash 122. April 11, 2007.
Cross-country skiing results All results are sourced from the International Ski Federation (FIS).
Olympic Games Year Age 5 km 15 km Pursuit 30 km 4 × 5 km relay 1998 22 — 31 — 50 7 World Championships Year Age 5 km 10 km 15 km Pursuit 30 km Sprint 4 × 5 km relay Team sprint 1999 23 20 — 21 26 11 2001 25 9 6 9 — 2007 31 33 — — — — —
a. Cancelled due to extremely cold weather.
World Cup Season standings Season Age Discipline standingsSki Tour standingsOverallDistanceLong DistanceMiddle DistanceSprintTour deSki 1994 18 1995 19 1996 20 59 1997 21 70 44 — 1998 22 49 39 1999 23 26 32 37 2000 24 44 31 33 — 2001 25 27 2004 28 2005 29 — 2006 30 — 2007 30 7653 85 —
Team podiums 1 victory – (1 ) 2 podiums – (2 ) No. Season Date Location Race Level Place Teammates1 2000–01 26 November 2000 Beitostølen, Norway 4 × 5 km Relay C/F World Cup 1st Manninen / Kuitunen / Varis2 9 December 2000 Santa Caterina, Italy 4 × 3 km Relay C/F World Cup 3rd Manninen / Salonen / Kuitunen
See also List of sportspeople sanctioned for doping offences
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