German Visma-Lease a Bike cyclist Michel Hessmann remains inactive due to an anti-doping rule violation. Although little information has been released on the matter, team director Richard Plugge has made some statements suggesting that the situation may be related to contamination. These observations were made during an interview on the RadioCycling podcast.
Doping is considered a crime in Germany
In mid-August, the Jumbo-Visma team clarified in a statement that 22-year-old Hessmann tested positive for a banned substance in an out-of-competition test carried out on June 14, 2023. The substance detected was identified as a diuretic, popularly known as “water pill”.
On November 3, the German Anti-Doping Authority (NADA) confirmed that the B sample result was also positive. Doping is considered a crime in Germany, and the German Public Prosecutor’s Office is involved in the case.
Delay in resolving the case
“We know the results of sample A and sample B, which were positive. Now it’s up to NADA, the German anti-doping authority. I think it’s up to them to be the first to say whether or not there will be a suspension. We’re still waiting for that.”
“For the cyclist himself, of course it is very frustrating that it takes so long. But yes, we have to wait for these procedures.”
Contamination may be the cause, notes Plugge
“It looks like it was contamination. This may also take some time because he will have to defend himself. I read something about a Belgian cyclist (Shari Bossuyt, find out about the case here ) and it could be a long time before there is a final judgement.”
“On the one hand, I understand that because you have to be very careful and thorough in what you do, but it is frustrating and difficult to deal with if you are a young cyclist who wants to race.”
Plugge cannot tell if it is a contaminated supplement. “It looks like something like contamination, but I’m not sure. We have to wait for the official results from NADA.”