Victoria Carl, the 2022 Olympic relay gold medallist, is preparing to return to competition. Nine weeks remain before she can rejoin the German national team. On September 26, 2026, she will once again step into the training environment she had been excluded from for over a year. The 31-year-old from Zella-Mehlis is eager to reconnect with her team, a feeling she described as 'the team spirit.' As she celebrates her birthday on that same day, Carl’s return marks a new chapter in her career.
A ban that changed everything
Carl tested positive for clenbuterol, a banned substance. That decision knocked Carl off her axis. Despite her illness, which included a severe bronchitis with intense coughing, the situation arose when the responsible military doctor administered the combination cough syrup Spasmo Mucosolvan rather than the prescribed, doping-free Mucosolvan. This error led to the presence of clenbuterol in her system. This punishment kept Carl away from the sport she loved, missing key events such as the 2026 World Cup and the Olympic preparations.
The long road back
Isolation became her new normal. Without a team, she had to plan her training, find accommodations, and fight her own motivation. Carl described it as 'a rollercoaster' — some days brought joy, others only struggle. She withdrew from public life to protect herself, focussing entirely on her comeback. Her employer, the German military, remained loyal, as did her family and the DSV. Yet, she was left to her own devices, having to draft training plans, organize accommodations, and manage all aspects of her preparation while battling mental and physical challenges. The distance from her teammates made it hard, but she pressed on, determined to regain her form and confidence.
Even the sight of the ski races in Cortina, especially the team sprint bronze won by teammate Coletta Rydzek, hit her differently. 'Her sprint at the end was so strong, I just had to watch it again,' she admitted. Watching her former teammates achieve success without her was difficult, but it also fueled her drive to return. Though she tried to stay away from ski events to avoid emotional triggers, she could not resist the appeal of a dramatic moment like Rydzek’s finish. It reminded her why she still loved the sport and wanted to be back on the course.
Her comeback will culminate in a new target — the 2027 Nordic World Ski Championships in Falun, Sweden. That location holds personal history. Now, she wants to fight for medals on the same slopes that once introduced her to the global stage. 'I have to try to be in that medal race,' Carl said. The familiar terrain and history there give her hope and motivation to compete once more on a world stage.
The new World Cup season begins two days after her suspension ends — on November 27, 2026, in Ruka, Finland. She'll measure her progress against the team, but her eyes are firmly set on Falun. She knows the road is long and the competition fierce, but she is ready to fight for her place among the world's best.
