For me, there is another big and important step on the way to complete exoneration from all accusations of anti-doping rule violations. Sports Integrity (SSI) has allowed the deadline for an appeal to the International Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to expire after receiving the comprehensive reasons for the verdict from the Swiss Olympic Disciplinary Chamber (DK). This means that only the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) can still appeal against the ruling.
It is another major milestone in what is probably my most important, longest and most difficult competition. SSI has allowed the deadline of August 5, 2024 to pass for the case to be referred to the CAS. After all parties involved received the extremely detailed and well-founded reasons for the decision of the DK on July 15, 2024, the deadline for a further appeal on the part of SSI expired after 21 days.
SSI made such serious errors in the sample collection on June 5, 2022, the subsequent storage and documentation that the sample was declared invalid in its entirety. Even if my anti-doping sample could have been assessed by SSI, it should not have been considered positive. This is because I tested negative five days before and five days after the sample in question. A hair analysis also showed that I had never taken any banned substances. Likewise, my steroid profile was completely normal.
Little surprised, but still disappointed – even shocked
It is no surprise to me that SSI is not taking the ruling any further. The 106-page reasoning of the DK was extremely well-founded and very damning for SSI, so that an appeal to the CAS would have been futile. The verdict shows that my sample should never have been assessed as positive. I was wrongly banned for more than four months. Nevertheless, there are aspects that remain incomprehensible. The fact that none of the institutions involved have admitted their own mistakes to this day and lack any insight into their own misconduct is not only disappointing, but shocking.
I still have a request that has not been heard for almost two years now: There must never be another case like this in (Swiss) sport. But to date, neither SSI nor Swiss Cycling have shown any interest in independently investigating everything that has happened. But that is exactly what needs to happen, otherwise the damage to the whole (Swiss) sport and the fight against doping will be huge.
Renewed call for full investigation
SSI and Swiss Cycling have massively damaged my reputation through massive errors in the handling of the entire case, from A to Z. An external and comprehensive investigation should ensure that the necessary rules and responsibilities are clarified in the future and that the necessary resources are available so that all (Swiss) athletes receive correct and fair treatment in the future.
While I’m already preparing for the World Championships in Vallnord (Andorra) on September 1, 2024 after my fifth place at the Olympic Games in Paris, I’m also waiting for feedback from WADA and the UCI – the two parties that could still take the case further.
