German Rider Faces Possible Ban After Adverse Dope Test Result

The German rider, Michel Hessmann, is facing a possible ban from cycling after his adverse dope test result last year. The incident caused a significant stir within the Jumbo Visma team, which is now known as Visma-Lease a Bike. However, recent developments indicate that the German authorities are treating the case as less serious.

While the 22-year-old still awaits a final verdict, it appears that he will not face criminal charges from the German authorities. After an extensive investigation involving searches at Hessmann’s home and the seizure of devices and other items for testing, the Freiburg Public Prosecutor’s Office found no evidence of intent to commit a criminal offense.

Under German law, an athlete who tests positive for doping can not only be banned from competing by the sporting authorities but may also face criminal charges. This was seen in the German-Austrian Operation Aderlass, where several riders were implicated.

Last August, Jumbo Visma announced that they had received information about a positive anti-doping test for Hessmann. The test, which was conducted during an out-of-competition control in Germany on June 14, detected a diuretic medicine in his system.

In a recent interview on the Radio Cycling podcast, team boss Richard Plugge suggested that the positive test result may have been due to contamination. He mentioned that all team-supplied supplements undergo rigorous testing and speculated that the situation looked like pollution, although he did not provide further details to support this theory.

Despite the dismissal of potential criminal charges, the sporting investigation into Hessmann is still ongoing. The German rider could face a lengthy ban from cycling unless he can demonstrate that the substance was unintentionally ingested.

Hessmann, who finished third at the Tour de l’Avenir two years ago, played a crucial role in helping Primož Roglič secure victory in the Giro d’Italia last year. However, he was withdrawn from racing by Jumbo Visma following the positive test. Although still under contract with the team until the end of this year, Hessmann has not been involved in any public activities with the team recently.