German cyclist Michel Hessmann, 23, who was temporarily suspended following a positive doping test, is set to return to racing soon. His lawyer announced on Friday that his four-month suspension has been reduced to just one month, making him eligible to compete again after July 22.
In November 2023, the National German Anti-Doping Agency (NADA Germany) confirmed that the anti-doping violation attributed to Michel Hessmann, was substantiated through analysis of his secondary B sample.
That development followed an out-of-competition drug test administered on June 14. The initial A sample from this test returned a positive result, indicating the presence of a diuretic medication.
Subsequent investigations at the time and the comprehensive assessment of the B sample conclusively confirmed the veracity of the doping infraction.
Contaminated medication
His lawyer explained that Hessmann had taken a common over-the-counter painkiller. The National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) indicated that expert analyses pointed to contaminated medication as the likely cause of the positive result.
“This incident highlights the residual risk of inadvertently ingesting a banned substance when taking medications,” NADA stated, noting that this risk ultimately falls on the athlete.
Before NADA completed its investigation, the public prosecutor’s office had already dropped its inquiry into potential Anti-Doping Law violations in January, citing a lack of evidence.
Hessmann rides for Dutch powerhouse Team Visma-Lease a Bike. In 2022, he took third in the GC at the Tour de l’Avenir, having led the overall standings for a significant portion of the race. He also took fifth in the world u-23 time trial championships.
In 2023, he finished 33rd at the Giro d’Italia, 18th at the Czech Tour, and 14th at the German national road championships.
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