Salzburg - The vice-president of the International Biathlon Union has provisionally stepped down amid allegations he helped his son obtain doping substances from banned doctor Michele Ferrari.
In a statement released by the IBU on Saturday, Gottlieb Taschler of Italy says "I will temporarily suspend all my current roles within the IBU ... until these serious accusations are proven invalid."
Italian media reported Wednesday that prosecutors are investigating Taschler for allegedly connecting his son Daniel, who competes on the biathlon World Cup since 2011, with Ferrari in an apparent attempt to obtain the banned blood booster EPO.
Taschler denies any wrongdoing, saying "this is simply not true; I will offer my full assistance in clearing up these massive accusations which put both me and my son's integrity at risk."