Former Austrian cyclist Christof Kerschbaum was indicted for trafficking in doping products, reported Thursday by the prosecution to AFP in Vienna, making it the first athlete who risks jail for doping, according to the new Austrian law.

Christof Kerschbaum, a former national level cyclist who is now 33, faces up to six months in prison. The court accused him of having supplied performance-enhancing drugs, including EPO, from mid-2008 to at least five fellow sportsmen, whose identities were not revealed.

Austria has increased in 2008 the possession and trafficking of doping products a simple violation of a misdemeanor punishable by five years in prison. In late 2009, the country has further strengthened its legislation providing for prison terms for doped athletes if an injury to another is found, making it the country with the strictest in the world in this field.

To mark the opening of the trial of a Vienna pharmacist on Thursday, one of Mr. Kerschbaum providers of doping products, prosecutors revealed that the former cyclist was in fact indicted five months ago .

Christoph Kerschbaum had been detained for ten days and then released in March 2009 in this case. He pledged an oath to not to influence the proceedings.