Shocking news about a German Olympic athlete and doping

In a surprising turn of events, German bobsledder Simon Wulff has been suspended for 21 months by the International Testing Agency (ITA) due to a positive doping test result. The suspension, retroactive from December 7, 2024, in Altenberg, will last until September 2026.

The banned substance found in Wulff's sample was Methylhexanamin, a stimulant that is prohibited in sports competition. Despite significant efforts, the source of the substance could not be clearly identified.

Wulff, who was a teammate of Olympic champion Francesco Friedrich, won the overall World Cup last winter in both the two-man and four-man events. His suspension could potentially impact the ranking of the team around Friedrich in the overall World Cup. However, it's important to note that at the time of writing, the suspension does not affect the current ranking.

Thomas Schwab, chairman of the German Bobsleigh and Skeleton Association (BSD), has expressed respect for Wulff's decision to accept the suspension and his cooperative behaviour throughout the doping investigation process. The BSD statement also mentions that it is naturally difficult to prove what one has ingested five weeks after the sample was taken.

The suspension does not prevent Wulff from rejoining team training as early as July 7 of the year following his suspension. He will be eligible to compete again starting September 7, 2026.

The Winter Olympics where Friedrich's team will compete is in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo. The person who will take Wulff's position in the German bobsled team starting from the 2026 Winter Olympics after his 21-month suspension has not been publicly named or specified in the available information.

The BSD is still awaiting an official decision from the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation (IBSF) on how the suspension will affect the points ranking in the overall World Cup. The IBSF is yet to release a statement on the matter.