Back after a four-year doping ban: won a FIS race after just one month. Now he surprises again in a new arena.

The doping-sanctioned skier surprised the crowd when he competed in the Finnish national athletics championship this summer: The 38-year-old, who has barely been seen publicly for four years, finished 12th in the 10,000 meters.

“I had two goals when I returned after my ban. One was to win Vasaloppet, the other was to qualify for this championship,” said Ari Luusua to Ilta-Sanomat.

Luusua tested positive for doping in July 2021 while he was part of Team Eksjöhus. He was subsequently handed a four-year ban.

On January 3, 2026, the day after his ban was completed, the 38-year-old competed in the Scandinavian Cup.

A month later, he won a FIS race, and in March he finished eighth in Vasaloppet, just eight seconds behind the winner and four seconds from the podium.

“I would have regretted it if I hadn’t tried to make a comeback after my ban. It was honestly a blow to the heart; I did it for myself,” Luusua stated.

The story continues below.

Rarely seen publicly

Ari Luusua was one of Finland’s top World Cup sprinters before transitioning to long-distance racing. There, he achieved several podium finishes and competed fiercely against long-distance stars.

Throughout his ban, Luusua has rarely been seen publicly. He trained alone and avoided contact with others in the sport. However, it is well-known that the skier from Rovaniemi continued to train, logging well over a thousand hours of training each year.

The success following his return, especially his performance in Vasaloppet, has provided him with extra motivation.

“Ski Classics is close to my heart, and I have missed the long-distance races. It’s incredible how much motivation I gained from the last hour of Vasaloppet last winter,” Luusua remarked.

Not excluding Ski World Championships

He is now not ruling out the possibility of aiming for the Ski World Championships at home in 2029.

However, he has had no contact with the national team.

“I haven’t been asked, and I haven’t heard anything. But I haven’t traveled much abroad except for a few long trips,” Luusua added.

Currently, he trains sporadically with national team athletes in Rovaniemi, where he lives, and tries to contribute as much as he can alongside his part-time job with the fire and rescue service in Rovaniemi. In the future, he hopes to start his own store.

“But I will focus on that when my career is actually over,” Luusua says.

In 2029, Finland will host the Ski World Championships, and the 50km event is enticing.

“We’ll take it one year or half a year at a time. Last year, I thought this would be my last season. But I’m still here.“

Caught for Anabolic Steroids – Fined 100,000 Euros

Ari Luusua was one of Finland’s top World Cup sprinters before transitioning to long-distance racing in Ski Classics. However, on July 20, 2021, Luusua was caught for doping. The Finn tested positive for drostanolone (masteron) and meldonium. The former is an anabolic androgenic steroid, while the latter is a heart medication. Both are on WADA’s list of prohibited substances.

When Luusua, who was at a training camp with Team Eksjöhus at the time, was banned for four years by the Swedish Anti-Doping Agency’s disciplinary committee.

He appealed the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), arguing that he had ended his active career in July 2021 and was therefore no longer subject to WADA’s regulations. However, it was not until September that Luusua announced his retirement on his Instagram account.

CAS disagreed with Luusua and upheld the four-year ban. Additionally, the Finn was fined 100,000 Euros.

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