Complex sentence: The biggest controversy occurred when a doping scandal hit the host nation of Finland, resulting in six disqualifications, including Harri Kirvesniemi, and would serve as a prelude to what would occur in cross country skiing at the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City the following year.
Split into simpler sentences: The biggest controversy occurred when a doping scandal hit the host nation of Finland, resulting in six disqualifications. This would serve as a prelude to further doping cases in cross country skiing at the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City the following year.