Therese Johaug


Therese Johaug is a Norwegian cross-country skier who has competed for the clubs Tynset IF and IL Nansen. In world championships she has won seven individual gold medals along with three gold medals in relays and she is a three-time Olympic medallist.
In October 2016 Johaug tested positive for the performance-enhancing drug clostebol and was suspended for a period of 18 months.

Athletic career

After skiing some domestic races in the 2006 season, Johaug took part at the Norwegian Championships in 2007, winning a bronze at the 7.5 km + 7.5 km double pursuit event. She was selected for two World Cup races prior to the World Championships, finishing eighth and 33rd in two interval start races over 10 km, which was enough to be selected for competition in the 30 km distance at the 2007 Sapporo World Championships where she won a surprising bronze medal.
At the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, she won gold in the 4 x 5 km relay, came sixth in the 15 km pursuit and seventh in the 30 km mass start race.
Johaug won her first individual gold medal in the 30 km mass start race at the 2011 World Championships in Oslo. She also won gold in the 4 x 5 km relay, bronze in the 7.5 km + 7.5 km double pursuit and fourth in the 10 km individual start. At the 2013 World Championships she won her second individual gold medal in the 10 km freestyle race.
At the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, she won the silver medal in the 30 km mass start, the bronze medal in the 10 km classical, and finished fourth in the 15 km skiathlon.
Johaug and compatriot Martin Johnsrud Sundby became the first Norwegians to win the Tour de Ski when they won the women's and men's competitions in the 2013–14 edition of the race. Johaug subsequently won the overall and distance competitions in the 2013–14 FIS Cross-Country World Cup.
She won the Birkebeinerrennet ski marathon in 2015 with a time of 2.41.46. That year she also enjoyed her most successful World Championship performance in Falun, where she took three gold medals: two in individual events and one as part of the Norwegian women's team in the 4x5km relay.
Johaug followed her World Championship success with her best ever World Cup season in 2015–16, winning a second Tour de Ski by overturning a 39-second deficit to Ingvild Flugstad Østberg on the final stage to complete the climb up Alpe Cermis with a lead of 2 minutes 21 seconds over runner-up Østberg. She went on to capture the overall and distance World Cups, rounding off her season by winning the inaugural Ski Tour Canada in a similar fashion to her Tour de Ski win, eradicating Heidi Weng's 30 second lead on the final stage pursuit to take victory by over a minute.
Until 2016 Egil Kristiansen coached Johaug, and was described as "in reality her best coach... helped her master freestyle" skiing.
In August 2019 Johaug competed in the Norwegian national athletics championship and won the 10,000 metres on 32:20.87.

Doping

In September 2016, Johaug was tested positive for a performance-enhancing drug called Clostebol, an anabolic steroid. Johaug said that the substance came from an ointment for her sore, sunburnt lips, which she said she used from 4 to 15 September. Plausibility of this explanation has been widely questioned. The ointment she claims to have used is called Trofodermin. It contains Clostebol. A big red warning label with the word “Doping” is normally printed on its packaging. Johaug said that the drug was given to her by the team's physician, Fredrik S. Bendiksen. Bendiksen said that he did not notice that it contained a forbidden substance. He resigned his position as a team's physician, but he remains closely associated with elite Norwegian skiing. Bendiksen had previously worked for Pfizer, the medical company that produces the salve in question.
The concentration of clostebol that was measured in her blood is by itself consistent with her explanation of using Trofodermin on her lips right before the test was taken. It is also consistent with using Clostebol in large doses in the weeks before the test. The positive drug test was taken after Johaug did not have any doping control for a period of four months.
On 19 October Johaug was suspended by Anti-Doping Norway for two months while the case was investigated. Johaug was later given a 13-month suspension by the Norwegian Olympic Committee. This ban would have expired in time to allow Johaug to compete in the 2018 Winter Olympics, but In March 2017, the International Ski Federation appealed this decision. They argued that the suspension was at the low end of applicable suspensions and failed to reflect the fact that the athlete had missed a printed doping warning label. On 22 August 2017 the Court of Arbitration for Sport issued a decision "in which Ms Johaug is suspended for a period of 18 months commencing on 18 October 2016". As a result of the suspension Johaug was not able to participate in the 2018 Winter Olympics.

Cross-country skiing results

All results are sourced from the International Ski Federation.

Olympic Games

Season titles

Individual podiums

No.SeasonDateLocationRaceLevelPlace
1 2006–07 24 March 2007 Falun, Sweden7.5 km + 7.5 km Pursuit C/FWorld Cup3rd
2 2007–08 2 January 2008 Nové Město, Czech Republic10 km Individual CStage World Cup3rd
3 2007–08 9 January 2008 Otepää, Estonia10 km Individual CWorld Cup3rd
4 2008–09 6 December 2008 La Clusaz, France15 km Mass Start FWorld Cup3rd
5 2008–09 4 January 2009 Val di Fiemme, Italy9 km Pursuit FStage World Cup1st
6 2008–09 21 March 2009 Falun, Sweden5 km + 5 km Pursuit C/FStage World Cup2nd
7 2008–09 22 March 2009 Falun, Sweden10 km Pursuit FStage World Cup2nd
8 2008–09 18–22 March 2009 World Cup FinalOverall StandingsWorld Cup2nd
9 2009–10 6 March 2010 Lahti, Finland7.5 km + 7.5 km Pursuit C/FWorld Cup3rd
10 2009–10 13 March 2010 Oslo, Norway30 km Mass Start FWorld Cup3rd
11 2009–10 20 March 2010 Falun, Sweden5 km + 5 km Pursuit C/FStage World Cup3rd
122010–1128 November 2010 Rukatunturi, Finland10 km Pursuit FStage World Cup1st
132010–1111 December 2010 Davos, Switzerland10 km Individual CWorld Cup3rd
142010–118 January 2011 Val di Fiemme, Italy10 km Mass Start CStage World Cup2nd
152010–119 January 2011 Val di Fiemme, Italy9 km Pursuit FStage World Cup1st
162010–1131 December 2010
– 9 January 2011		 Tour de SkiOverall StandingsWorld Cup2nd
172010–1122 January 2011 Otepää, Estonia10 km Individual CWorld Cup3rd
182010–1112 March 2011 Lahti, Finland5 km + 5 km Pursuit C/FWorld Cup1st
192010–1118 March 2011 Falun, Sweden2.5 km Individual CStage World Cup3rd
202010–1119 March 2011 Falun, Sweden5 km + 5 km Pursuit C/FStage World Cup3rd
212010–1120 March 2011 Falun, Sweden10 km Pursuit FStage World Cup3rd
222010–1116–20 March 2011 World Cup FinalOverall StandingsWorld Cup3rd
232011–1227 November 2011 Rukatunturi, Finland10 km Pursuit CStage World Cup1st
242011–1225–27 November 2011 Nordic OpeningOverall StandingsWorld Cup2nd
252011–1210 December 2011 Davos, Switzerland15 km Individual FWorld Cup3rd
262011–1217 December 2011 Rogla, Slovenia10 km Mass Start CWorld Cup2nd
272011–1230 December 2011 Oberhof, Germany10 km Pursuit CStage World Cup2nd
282011–121 January 2012 Oberstdorf, Germany5 km + 5 km Skiathlon C/FStage World Cup3rd
292011–125 January 2012 Toblach, Italy15 km Pursuit FStage World Cup3rd
302011–128 January 2012 Val di Fiemme, Italy9 km Pursuit FStage World Cup1st
312011–1229 December 2011
– 8 January 2012		 Tour de SkiOverall StandingsWorld Cup3rd
322011–1222 January 2012 Otepää, Estonia10 km Individual CWorld Cup3rd
332011–125 February 2012 Rybinsk, Russia7.5 km + 7.5 km Skiathlon C/FWorld Cup1st
342011–1211 February 2012 Nové Město, Czech Republic15 km Mass Start CWorld Cup3rd
352011–1218 February 2012 Szklarska Poręba, Poland10 km Individual CWorld Cup3rd
362011–123 March 2012 Lahti, Finland7.5 km + 7.5 km Skiathlon C/FWorld Cup1st
372011–1211 March 2012 Oslo, Norway30 km Mass Start CWorld Cup3rd
382011–1217 March 2012 Falun, Sweden10 km Mass Start CStage World Cup3rd
392011–1218 March 2012 Falun, Sweden10 km Pursuit FStage World Cup1st
40 2012–13 24 November 2012 Gällivare, Sweden10 km Individual FWorld Cup2nd
41 2012–13 2 December 2012 Rukatunturi, Finland10 km Pursuit CStage World Cup2nd
42 2012–13 30 December 2012 Oberhof, Germany9 km Pursuit CStage World Cup2nd
43 2012–13 3 January 2013 Toblach-Cortina15 km Pursuit FStage World Cup3rd
44 2012–13 6 January 2013 Val di Fiemme, Italy9 km Pursuit FStage World Cup1st
45 2012–13 29 December 2012
– 6 January 2013		 Tour de SkiOverall StandingsWorld Cup2nd
46 2012–13 19 January 2013 La Clusaz, France10 km Mass Start CWorld Cup2nd
47 2012–13 17 February 2013 Davos, Switzerland10 km Individual FWorld Cup1st
48 2012–13 17 March 2013 Oslo, Norway30 km Mass Start FWorld Cup1st
49 2012–13 23 March 2013 Falun, Sweden10 km Mass Start CStage World Cup2nd
50 2012–13 24 March 2013 Falun, Sweden10 km Pursuit FStage World Cup1st
51 2012–13 20–24 March 2013 World Cup FinalOverall StandingsWorld Cup2nd
52 2013–14 30 November 2013 Rukatunturi, Finland5 km Individual CStage World Cup3rd
53 2013–14 1 December 2013 Rukatunturi, Finland10 km Pursuit FStage World Cup2nd
54 2013–14 29 November
– 1 December 2013		 Nordic OpeningOverall StandingsWorld Cup3rd
55 2013–14 14 December 2013 Davos, Switzerland15 km Individual FWorld Cup2nd
56 2013–14 1 January 2014 Lenzerheide, Switzerland10 km Mass StartStage World Cup3rd
57 2013–14 3 January 2014 Toblach-Cortina15 km Pursuit FStage World Cup2nd
58 2013–14 4 January 2014 Val di Fiemme, Italy5 km Individual CStage World Cup1st
59 2013–14 5 January 2014 Val di Fiemme, Italy9 km Pursuit FStage World Cup1st
60 2013–14 28 December 2013
– 5 January 2014		 Tour de SkiOverall StandingsWorld Cup1st
61 2013–14 1 February 2014 Toblach, Italy10 km Individual CWorld Cup2nd
62 2013–14 2 March 2014 Lahti, Finland10 km Individual FWorld Cup3rd
63 2013–14 9 March 2014 Oslo, Norway30 km Mass Start CWorld Cup2nd
64 2013–14 15 March 2014 Falun, Sweden7.5 km + 7.5 km Skiathlon C/FStage World Cup1st
65 2013–14 16 March 2014 Falun, Sweden10 km Pursuit FStage World Cup1st
66 2013–14 14–16 March 2014 World Cup FinalOverall StandingsWorld Cup1st
672014–1530 November 2014 Rukatunturi, Finland10 km Individual CWorld Cup1st
682014–156 December 2014 Lillehammer, Norway5 km Individual FStage World Cup1st
692014–157 December 2014 Lillehammer, Norway10 km Pursuit CStage World Cup1st
702014–155–7 December 2014 Nordic OpeningOverall StandingsWorld Cup2nd
712014–1513 December 2014 Davos, Switzerland10 km Individual CWorld Cup1st
722014–154 January 2015 Oberstdorf, Germany10 km Pursuit CStage World Cup3rd
732014–157 January 2015 Toblach, Italy5 km Individual CStage World Cup2nd
742014–158 January 2015 Toblach, Italy15 km Pursuit FStage World Cup3rd
752014–1510 January 2015 Val di Fiemme, Italy10 km Mass Start CStage World Cup1st
762014–1511 January 2015 Val di Fiemme, Italy9 km Pursuit FStage World Cup1st
772014–153–11 January 2015 Tour de SkiOverall StandingsWorld Cup2nd
782014–1515 February 2015 Östersund, Sweden10 km Individual FWorld Cup3rd
792014–1515 March 2015 Oslo, Norway30 km Mass Start FWorld Cup2nd
802015–1628 November 2015 Rukatunturi, Finland5 km Individual FStage World Cup1st
812015–1629 November 2015 Rukatunturi, Finland10 km Pursuit CStage World Cup1st
822015–1627–29 November 2015 Nordic OpeningOverall StandingsWorld Cup1st
832015–165 December 2015 Lillehammer, Norway7.5 km + 7.5 km Skiathlon C/FWorld Cup1st
842015–1612 December 2015 Davos, Switzerland15 km Individual FWorld Cup1st
852015–1620 December 2015 Toblach, Italy10 km Individual CWorld Cup1st
862015–162 January 2016 Lenzerheide, Switzerland15 km Mass Start CStage World Cup1st
872015–163 January 2016 Lenzerheide, Switzerland5 km Pursuit FStage World Cup2nd
882015–166 January 2016 Oberstdorf, Germany10 km Mass Start CStage World Cup1st
892015–169 January 2016 Val di Fiemme, Italy10 km Mass Start CStage World Cup3rd
902015–1610 January 2016 Val di Fiemme, Italy9 km Pursuit FStage World Cup1st
912015–161–10 January 2016 Tour de SkiOverall StandingsWorld Cup1st
922015–1623 January 2016 Nové Město, Czech Republic10 km Individual FWorld Cup1st
932015–167 February 2016 Oslo, Norway30 km Mass Start CWorld Cup1st
942015–1613 February 2016 Falun, Sweden5 km Individual CWorld Cup1st
952015–1614 February 2016 Falun, Sweden10 km Mass Start FWorld Cup1st
962015–1621 February 2016 Lahti, Finland7.5 km + 7.5 km Skiathlon C/FWorld Cup1st
972015–162 March 2016 Montreal, Canada10.5 km Mass Start CStage World Cup1st
982015–165 March 2016 Quebec City, Canada10 km Pursuit FStage World Cup2nd
992015–169 March 2016 Canmore, Canada7.5 km + 7.5 km Skiathlon C/FStage World Cup2nd
1002015–1612 March 2016 Canmore, Canada10 km Pursuit CStage World Cup2nd
1012015–161–12 March 2016 Ski Tour CanadaOverall StandingsWorld Cup1st
1022018–1925 November 2018 Rukatunturi, Finland10 km Individual CWorld Cup1st
1032018–191 December 2018 Lillehammer, Norway10 km Individual FStage World Cup1st
1042018–192 December 2018 Lillehammer, Norway10 km Pursuit CStage World Cup1st
1052018–1930 November
– 2 December 2018		 Nordic OpeningOverall StandingsWorld Cup1st
1062018–198 December 2018 Beitostølen, Norway15 km Individual FWorld Cup1st
1072018–1916 December 2018 Davos, Switzerland10 km Individual FWorld Cup1st
1082018–1920 January 2019 Otepää, Estonia10 km Individual CWorld Cup1st
1092018–1926 January 2019 Ulricehamn, Sweden10 km Individual FWorld Cup1st
1102018–1910 March 2019 Oslo, Norway30 km Mass Start CWorld Cup1st
1112018–1917 March 2019 Falun, Sweden10 km Individual FWorld Cup1st
1122018–1923 March 2019 Quebec City, Canada10 km Mass Start CStage World Cup2nd
1132018–1924 March 2019 Quebec City, Canada10 km Pursuit FStage World Cup1st
1142018–1924 March 2019 World Cup FinalOverall StandingsWorld Cup2nd
1152019–2030 November 2019 Rukatunturi, Finland10 km Individual CStage World Cup1st
1162019–201 December 2019 Rukatunturi, Finland10 km Pursuit FStage World Cup1st
1172019–2029 November
– 1 December 2019		 Nordic OpeningOverall StandingsWorld Cup1st
1182019–207 December 2019 Lillehammer, Norway7.5 km + 7.5 km Skiathlon C/FWorld Cup1st
1192019–2015 December 2019 Davos, Switzerland10 km Individual FWorld Cup1st
1202019–2028 December 2019 Lenzerheide, Switzerland10 km Mass Start FStage World Cup1st
1212019–2031 December 2019 Toblach, Italy10 km Individual FStage World Cup1st
1222019–201 January 2020 Toblach, Italy10 km Pursuit CStage World Cup2nd
1232019–205 January 2020 Val di Fiemme, Italy10 km Mass Start FStage World Cup1st
1242019–2028 December 2019
– 5 January 2020		 Tour de SkiOverall StandingsWorld Cup1st
1252019–2018 January 2020 Nové Město, Czech Republic10 km Individual FWorld Cup1st
1262019–2019 January 2020 Nové Město, Czech Republic10 km Pursuit CWorld Cup1st
1272019–2025 January 2020 Oberstdorf, Germany7.5 km + 7.5 km Skiathlon C/FWorld Cup1st
1282019–209 February 2020 Falun, Sweden10 km Mass Start FWorld Cup1st
1292019–2015 February 2020 Östersund, Sweden10 km Individual FStage World Cup1st
1302019–2016 February 2020 Östersund, Sweden10 km Pursuit CStage World Cup1st
1312019–2018 February 2020 Åre, Sweden0.7 km Sprint FStage World Cup1st
1322019–2020 February 2020 Meråker, Norway34 km Mass Start FStage World Cup1st
1332019–2023 February 2020 Trondheim, Norway15 km Pursuit CStage World Cup1st
1342019–2015–23 February 2020 FIS Ski Tour 2020Overall StandingsWorld Cup1st
1352019–2029 February 2020 Lahti, Finland10 km Individual CWorld Cup1st
1362019–207 March 2020 Oslo, Norway30 km Mass Start CWorld Cup2nd

Team podiums

No.SeasonDateLocationRaceLevelPlaceTeammates
12007–0825 November 2007 Beitostølen, Norway4 × 5 km Relay C/FWorld Cup1st Jacobsen / Skofterud / Bjørgen
22007–089 December 2007 Davos, Switzerland4 × 5 km Relay C/FWorld Cup1stStemland / Steira / Skofterud
32008–0923 November 2008 Gällivare, Sweden4 × 5 km Relay C/FWorld Cup1stBjørgen / Steira / Kristoffersen
42008–097 December 2008 La Clusaz, France4 × 5 km Relay C/FWorld Cup3rdStemland / Nilsen / Steira
5 2009–10 22 November 2009 Beitostølen, Norway4 × 5 km Relay C/FWorld Cup2ndSkofterud / Steira / Bjørgen
6 2009–10 7 March 2010 Lahti, Finland4 × 5 km Relay C/FWorld Cup1stKristoffersen / Steira / Bjørgen
72010–1121 November 2010 Gällivare, Sweden4 × 5 km Relay C/FWorld Cup1stSkofterud / Steira / Bjørgen
82010–1119 December 2010 La Clusaz, France4 × 5 km Relay C/FWorld Cup1stSkofterud / Steira / Bjørgen
92011–1221 November 2010 Sjusjøen, Norway4 × 5 km Relay C/FWorld Cup1stSkofterud / Steira / Bjørgen
102011–1219 December 2010 Nové Město, Czech Republic4 × 5 km Relay C/FWorld Cup1stSkofterud / Jacobsen / Bjørgen
112012–1325 November 2012 Gällivare, Sweden4 × 5 km Relay C/FWorld Cup1stSkofterud / Hagen / Bjørgen
122012–1320 January 2013 La Clusaz, France4 × 5 km Relay C/FWorld Cup1stWeng / Steira / Bjørgen
132013–148 December 2013 Lillehammer, Norway4 × 5 km Relay C/FWorld Cup1stWeng / Steira / Bjørgen
142015–166 December 2015 Lillehammer, Norway4 × 5 km Relay C/FWorld Cup1stFalla / Østberg / Weng
152015–1624 January 2016 Nové Město, Czech Republic4 × 5 km Relay C/FWorld Cup1stØstberg / Weng / Jacobsen
162018–199 December 2018 Beitostølen, Norway4 × 5 km Relay C/FWorld Cup1stWeng / Haga / Østberg
172018–1927 January 2019 Ulricehamn, Sweden4 × 5 km Relay C/FWorld Cup1stWeng / Jacobsen / Østberg
182019–208 December 2019 Lillehammer, Norway4 × 5 km Relay C/FWorld Cup1stFalla / Jacobsen / Weng
192019–201 March 2020 Lahti, Finland4 × 5 km Relay C/FWorld Cup1stUdnes Weng / Østberg / Weng

Overall record

Sponsors

Her sponsors are Tag Heuer, Huawei, Isklar and Eger.