Doping in sport – Amateur (54) is the Swiss with the longest ban

A 54-year-old man from canton Aargau has been banned for using testosterone. Despite this, the amateur athlete continued to compete. This is the story of Switzerland's longest-banned doping offender.

Simon Harling/ch media

Cycling is his life. He's been in the saddle more than 100 times this year, almost once every three days. He traveled a distance of nearly 7,000 kilometers. The man usually travels in the lower Aare Valley, not far from the German border. He also lives in a small community in canton Aargau with views of the castle and the Aare river.

The cyclist earns a living as an electrical installer, runs a small arts and crafts business and also rides regularly in the winter. To do this, he accepted long journeys. He spent ten days in southern Sri Lanka at the beginning of the year. He also cycled in Thailand. He spent the Christmas and New Year period in Mallorca in an almost traditional way, cycling.

The man from Allgäu sometimes takes part in competitions. Like the summer of 2022, when he begins his Tour of the Salp. After seven stages, the contestants ran a total of 609 kilometers and climbed 15,900 meters in altitude. This trip starts from Lake Reichen in Austria and goes to Lake Garda in Italy. Among them, the Offen Pass, the Stilfsøyoch Pass at 2757 meters above sea level (the second highest pass in the Alps, accessible by asphalt road), the Mortirolo Pass and the Foscanio Pass all had to be overcome.

The route of the 2022 Transalp Tour.Image: radmarathon.at

The athletic man from Allgäu neatly records his rides on the Strava fitness app, which is particularly popular with cyclists and joggers.

During training with testosterone in the blood

When asked about his past, the 54-year-old appears more reserved. In 2009, he refused to submit to a doping test during a match and was initially acquitted. But world cycling association UCI did not accept the ruling and took the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), which banned the then 39-year-old for two years in 2010.

Shortly after his ban expired, he was found to have used testosterone during an unannounced training test. For his second offence, the amateur was handed an eight-year ban.

The Argaans didn't seem to care. In 2018, he was banned for four years for participating in a match without permission. Now, in October, he was banned for eight years until 2033 for competing on the Transalp Tour two years ago. In addition, he must pay a fine of 5,000 francs to the Swiss Sports Integrity Organization, court costs and 1,500 francs in client compensation.

Part of the Transalp tour: the legendary Stelvio Pass.Photo: AP LaPres

Only two athletes in Switzerland have been banned for life for doping: a weightlifter who tested positive three times in three years in the early 2000s. There was also a sports shooter who imported large quantities of the substance to resell at a profit.

The catch: Breaching a participation ban could result in a ban of up to eight years, but not life in prison.

Despite the Prohibition: Beginning in His Name

Having taken a short break since 2010, it is now ruled out of the competition until at least 2033 – so longer than anyone else. What this means: An amateur athlete is Switzerland's longest-banned doping offender. And it's obviously unreasonable.

The defendant has not commented on the allegations from doping authorities. When CH Media asked him over the phone why he ignored the ban, he kindly said he would rather not talk about it, let alone read about it.

Amateur athletes travel particularly frequently in the Aare Valley.Image: Harry Gradischniger

What was especially daring was that the man from Allgäu officially participated in all these competitions under his own name and did not hide his identity.

Fellows downplayed the case

All three violations occurred during the 2015, 2017 and 2022 Tour of the Alps. The 54-year-old has been with the team every time. None of his partners would comment on whether he had revealed his past to them or whether they were aware of the Allgäu blockade. They described him as a relaxed man who was not overly ambitious or stubborn. No one understands why he switched to testosterone in 2012.

An amateur athlete is Switzerland's longest-suspended doping offender (symbolic image created by artificial intelligence).Image: co-pilot

Some people are completely surprised, saying they are surprised, but acting ignorant. Among them were many old friends, who had known the man from Allgäu for more than twenty years and had even gone on cycling holidays with him. Others downplayed the incident as a minor incident.

Is doping by amateur athletes a private matter?

One person suspects that the man from Aargau may have been “betrayed” by a participant of the Transalp Tour. The statement illustrates the widespread belief that whether and what substances amateur athletes take is a private matter. This is a misunderstanding.

The fact is: Doping regulations apply to all athletes holding a license or membership in a club or association affiliated with the Swiss Olympic Games. The same applies to participants in competitions from such organizations. Therefore, these athletes can be subject to doping tests at any time and, if necessary, sanctioned. This applies regardless of performance level, age and nationality.

It's not just professional athletes who may be forced to undergo doping tests.Image: trapezoid

What you need to know is that there are penalties not only for the use of banned substances, but also for their importation, trade, rejection of doping controls, third party administration, conspiracy and possession.

The Allgäu cyclist has actually only tested positive once. But since then, the bans have been getting longer and longer, as the desire to compete has apparently become greater.

As a result, Switzerland's longest-suspended doping offender is likely to compete again in the future. “Maybe see you next year,” one participant commented on Strava after the Transalp 2022 tour. “Yes, maybe,” writes the man from Aargau. (aargauerzeitung.ch)

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