Mathias Flückiger acquitted: Rehabilitated - Flückiger doping case closed
The Flückiger case is closed. The Swiss elite mountain biker has been finally acquitted of all allegations of anti-doping rule violations. For Mathias Flückiger, this marks the end of more than two years of fighting for his rehabilitation as a clean cyclist.
Flückiger has been back in the sport for some time now. After his unjustified doping ban, the Swiss rider made a comeback with his fifth place at the Olympic Games 2024 in Paris and made it unmistakably clear that he has fully recovered from this setback.
Meanwhile, the trial against him continued. However, the Swiss anti-doping authority Swiss Sports Integrity (SSI) has now finally decided not to appeal to the International Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to contest the lifted ban and Flückiger's acquittal. The World Cycling Union (UCI) and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) would still have had the opportunity to appeal to the CAS. However, both organisations let the deadlines set for this pass.
This marks the end of Flückiger's fight against the doping accusers: "The strain over the last two years has been unbelievable. Overcoming this case, with its endless obstacles, was by far the hardest and longest competition of my career. I am grateful that I had my family, my girlfriend and an incredibly good team by my side. They made it possible for the truth to prevail in the end."
Positive doping test: Flückiger's possible explanations
From Flückiger's point of view, there were several possibilities as to how the ceranol in his sample from 5 June 2022 could have been measured: Contamination via meat from Brazil, toxins from moulds during the ingestion of grain or massive errors during sampling, transport and subsequent storage.
Furthermore, there had never been a usable sample, let alone a positive A-sample, as was repeatedly and falsely claimed. Only 0.3 nanograms of ceranol per millilitre were measured in the A sample, a value close to the detection limit and far below the WADA limit of 5 nanograms per millilitre.
However, because no sample below the limit may be labelled as an "Abnormal Finding" (positive), but as an "Atypical Finding", according to the regulations, further tests should have been carried out and the athlete should have been involved. And since there was never a "positive A sample", Mathias Flückiger could not have formally requested that the B sample be opened.
Alleged doping offender victim of procedural errors
The Olympic silver medallist in Tokyo and fifth-placed in Paris 2024 was - as the Swiss Olympic Disciplinary Chamber (DK) stated in its judgement - the victim of numerous errors: there were gross procedural violations, which led to the general invalidity and thus unusability of the sample.
In addition, the samples correctly taken from Flückiger five days before and five days after 5 June 2022 and his hair analysis were negative. The Swiss mountain biker has succeeded in his rehabilitation as a professional cyclist, but it has now taken him almost two and a half years - far too long for Flückiger: "I'm proud that I never gave up. That I had the strength to believe in justice for so long. And that I was able to overcome so many mental setbacks over all that time."
Processing by the Swiss Sports Federation
Flückiger is disappointed with the Swiss institutions that were penalised: Neither the anti-doping agency SSI nor the Swiss Cycling Federation, which had communicated the case to the public as a "positive sample with anabolic steroids" in the first place, showed any form of remorse, insight or awareness of a mistake and apparently pursued the tactic of wanting to "let grass grow over it".
Mathias Flückiger is therefore delighted that the Executive Board of the Swiss Sports Federation and Olympic Committee Swiss Olympic has decided to take up the Flückiger case: "My aim is to improve the processes and responsibilities. Because the system failed massively in my case, on several occasions. It must be ensured that there will never be another case like this in Swiss sport. I hope that Swiss Olympic will set the course for a complete investigation into the case."
Massive damage - the financials & consequences in the Flückiger case
In the DK judgement, SSI was ordered to pay Mathias Flückiger the legal costs of 3,000 Swiss francs (equivalent to around 3,225 euros) and compensation of 43,380.45 francs (just under 46,650 euros). However, this amount would be far below the actual costs that Mathias Flückiger claims to have spent over the last two years. Added to this would be the lost bonuses and sponsorship income as well as personal expenses.
As far as the Flückiger case is concerned, it sounds from his press release at the end that it will probably take a little longer - with Swiss Olympic's investigation and also for Flückiger himself, who does not want to be left with the financial loss.
What had happened?
When Flückiger went in front of the press for the first time since the doping allegations last year and told his story, it was particularly important to him to clear up his case: "What happened to me can happen to any Swiss athlete. There must be no second fate like mine." By fate, he is referring to the alleged positive doping test from the Swiss federation on 5 June 2022, which was taken at the Swiss Championships in Leysin and as a result of which he was provisionally banned (BIKE reported).
Mathias Flückiger back: comeback with a message
Flückiger made his real comeback on 19 March 2023 as part of the Swiss season opener in Gränichen. Preparations were in full swing at the time. Before that, he had already finished sixth in the race in Banyoles, Spain. However, Flückiger wants to be at peace not only with his physical fitness, but also with his psyche, and so it is important to him to clear things up: "So that I can go onto the race course free as an athlete, I have to tell my story beforehand and present important facts about the case."
From the beginning: The case of Mathias Flückiger
What was the Mathias Flückiger doping case about again? On 5 June 2022, Flückiger was provisionally banned by the Swiss federation and his team after a positive doping test. The accusation: Positive test for an anabolic substance. The mountain bike pro commented on the allegations after 3 weeks and rejected these.
The substance was zeranol, which he had not knowingly ingested. Small amounts of this substance were detected, but this could also be explained by the consumption of contaminated meat. However, the quantity of the sample was so small that it should not be considered a positive result, but a so-called "atypical" result. In addition, Flückiger tested negative in two further doping tests a few days after the actual test.
On 17 December 2022, the Disciplinary Chamber cancels Mathias Flückiger's provisional ban. It would have been correct to label the sample as atypical. Consequently, there should not have been a provisional ban, as a positive sample is a prerequisite for such a measure.
Although the athlete can now return to mountain bike racing, Flückiger wants to use his story to draw attention to flaws in the system: "My aim is not to judge or condemn. I want to show that my case became a doping case, even though it should never have become one." However, the final judgement in this case was still pending at the time.
"I hope for a quick solution to the case"
Since 18 August 2022, Mathias Flückiger has been working on the case in Munich with his lawyer, Dr Thilo Pachmann, and his scientific advisor, Dr phil. Nat. Matthias Kamber, have been working on the case to find a solution.
However, no final judgement had been made by then and so the uncertainty was taking its toll on Flückiger: "I very much hope that the competent authorities will conclude my case as quickly as possible. Only then will I finally be rid of this constant, sometimes almost unbearable burden."
He wanted to return to the big stage of MTB cross-country racing. For the upcoming Swiss Bike Cup race, Mathias Flückiger only wanted one thing: "...mountain biking! With unlimited passion and with unlimited joy."
