A positive doping test has forced the German professional cyclist Michel Heßmann to take a longer break. As the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) has now announced, the 23-year-old has agreed with the NADA and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) on a ban until March 14. Heßmann’s lawyer confirmed this. “The dispute settlement that has now taken place, which effectively represents a ban of less than seven months due to the ban being backdated to the day the sample was taken, was made for Michel Heßmann solely so that he can continue his career,” explained his lawyer Rainer Cherkeh.
Last year, an out-of-competition test for Heßmann, who comes from Münster, came back positive for chlorthalidone. According to his lawyer, Heßmann had taken “a common, over-the-counter painkiller.” Referring to reports and analyses obtained, NADA stated that the most likely cause of the positive urine test was the ingestion of a contaminated medication – and imposed a four-month ban. Heßmann agreed. The punishment should also be brought forward and the professional cyclist should start racing again from July 22nd.
WADA appealed against this decision to the International Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). All parties have now agreed on a 21-month ban, which began on the day of the test on June 14, 2023, for an “unintentional violation” of the anti-doping rules. Cherkeh stressed that even if Heßmann had won before the CAS, it would “not have been possible” to continue his career because of the length of the proceedings. The public prosecutor’s office had already closed its investigation into a possible violation of the anti-doping law last January due to a lack of suspicion. Heßmann was most recently under contract with the Visma-Lease a Bike team. The Dutch team has announced that it will not extend the professional’s expiring contract.