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VIENNA, March 24, 2009 (AFP) – Austrian cyclist Christof Kerschbaum, who was provisionally detained as part of an investigation into the trafficking of doping products, has been released, a judiciary source revealed on Tuesday.

The former coach of the Austrian Nordic skiing team, Walter Mayer, was arrested on suspicion of involvement in the case on Monday and is still in custody.

A spokesman for prosecutors said all the people suspected of trafficking doping products had been questioned.

The 32-year-old Kerschbaum was freed after 11 days of detention, upon the condition that he does not seek to influence proceedings.

His arrest, the first of an athlete in Austria on doping allegations, was made possible by a legal amendment on August 8, following which the possession and trafficking of doping substances now carries a five-year jail sentence. It was previously only deemed a minor offense.

A Vienna pharmacist accused of having supplied the doping products to Mayer and Kerschbaum, including the banned blood booster EPO, remains in custody.

Mayer was implicated in doping scandals at the Winter Olympics of both 2002, in Salt Lake City, and 2006, in Turin.

Like Kerschbaum, he is suspected of having procured and supplied doping products including EPO.

Kerschbaum’s cycling team, RC Arbo Wels Gourmetfein, has announced the termination of his contract.

Austria has come under criticism in recent years over its lax doping laws.

In the most recent case, cyclist Bernhard Kohl, the best climber at last year’s Tour de France and third overall, admitted in October to using Cera, the new generation of EPO.