Mika Myllylä

Mika Kristian Myllylä (12 September 1969 – 5 July 2011 ) was a Finnish cross-country skier who competed from 1992 to 2005. He won six medals at the Winter Olympics, earning one gold (1998: 30 km), one silver (1994: 50 km), and four bronzes (1994: 30 km, 4 × 10 km; 1998: 10 km, 4 × 10 km).

Myllylä also won a total of nine medals at the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships, winning four golds (1997: 50 km, 1999: 10 km, 30 km, 50 km), three silvers (10 km + 15 km combined pursuit: 1997, 1999; 4 × 10 km relay: 1997), and two bronzes (10 km: 1995, 1997).

He was on his way to become one of the greatest stars in cross-country skiing history, until he was caught doping in the Finnish 2001 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships scandal for taking hydroxyethyl starch (HES), a blood plasma expander usually used to cover up the use of erythropoietin (EPO) in athletes. The scandal also affected five other Finnish skiers, including Jari Isometsä and Harri Kirvesniemi. Myllylä received a two-year suspension from the FIS as a result. In connection with a 2011 court case, Myllylä gave a sworn statement where he admitted using EPO in the 1990s, during his career.

After the suspension Myllylä tried to return to skiing, but failed to come back to the international level despite winning a few Finnish championships. Myllylä retired from the skiing sports in 2005. In the following years he was involved in alcohol-related problems which were extensively covered in Finnish tabloid papers. On 5 July 2011, Myllylä was found dead at his home in Kokkola. The official police investigation concluded that his death was the result of an accident, and ruled out the possibility of foul play and suicide.

Cross-country skiing results All results are sourced from the International Ski Federation (FIS).

Olympic Games 6 medals – (1 gold, 1 silver, 4 bronze) Year Age 10 km Pursuit 30 km 50 km 4 × 10 km relay 1992 22 14 20 34 — — 1994 24 6 4 Bronze Silver Bronze 1998 28 Bronze 6 Gold — Bronze

World Championships 9 medals – (4 gold, 3 silver, 2 bronze) Year Age 10 km 15 km Pursuit 30 km 50 km Sprint 4 × 10 km relay 1991 21 39 — — — — 1993 23 17 18 23 DNF 4 1995 25 Bronze 4 4 — — 1997 27 Bronze Silver 10 Gold Silver 1999 29 Gold Silver Gold Gold 5 2001 31 — — —

World Cup Season titles 1 title – (1 Long Distance) SeasonDiscipline1997 Long Distance

Season standings

a. 29th in the Long Distance World Cup. 26th in the Middle Distance World Cup.

Individual podiums 10 victories 25 podiums

Team podiums 6 victories – (6 ) 15 podiums – (14 , 1 )

Note: Until the 1999 World Championships and the 1994 Olympics, World Championship and Olympic races were included in the World Cup scoring system.

Overall record

a. Classification is made according to FIS classification. b. Includes individual and mass start races. c. Incomplete due to lack of appropriate sources prior to 2001.

Note: Until 1999 World Championships and 1994 Olympics, World Championship and Olympic races are part of the World Cup. Hence results from those races are included in the World Cup overall record.