Mathias Flückiger had always emphasised that he "never knowingly consumed ceranol" has. The Swiss mountain bike star has now achieved a first interim success in the battle to prove his innocence. The decision of the disciplinary chamber is an extremely big relief for me. It has been the worst five months of my life. After months of extremely stressful waiting, I can now look to the future with optimism. I am more motivated than ever in terms of sport and I am working on my comeback every day," said Flückiger after the Disciplinary Chamber of the Swiss National Olympic Committee decided that the Zeranol test result should not be categorised as a positive doping test.
Flückiger provides exonerating evidence against doping
On 16 September 2022, Mathias Flückiger and his team submitted a dossier with explanations and exculpatory evidence to the Disciplinary Chamber. Flückiger applied for the provisional ban to be lifted immediately. Among other things, the Swiss mountain bike star had a steroid profile drawn up and a hair sample analysed. The steroid profile was absolutely unremarkable. The hair sample contained no traces of zeranol or its metabolites. In addition, Flückiger had cited as exculpatory evidence that he had been tested positive in two other doping samples taken before and after the positive doping test on 5 June were analysed were negative in each case. The doping tests came from a training test on 30 May and from the UCI MTB World Cup in Leogang after his short track success. It has also been scientifically proven that Zeranol is highly unlikely to have an anabolic effect in humans.
Doping sample atypical instead of positive
The judgement of the Disciplinary Chamber also corrects the Swiss anti-doping agency Swiss Sport Integrity (SSI), which had imposed Flückiger's provisional doping ban in August 2022. According to the WADA Code, the Swiss Anti-Doping Agency should never have categorised Flückiger's sample as positive, only as atypical. However, a positive sample is a prerequisite for the imposition of a provisional ban or the opening of the B sample.
This is precisely why the NOC Disciplinary Chamber had already made a first important decision in Flückiger's favour on 28 September 2022 and quickly halted the regular procedure in a normal doping procedure (opening of the B sample). The lifting of the provisional ban from 17 December 2022 is important for Flückiger in several respects: "I haven't competed for more than five months. During this time, I've dropped from third to 24th in the world rankings and my starting position has deteriorated massively as a result. I also lacked competition practice and missed the entire second half of the season with the highlights of the European Championships and World Championships. I'm now planning my 2023 season and want to race again soon."
"Flückiger's nightmare" not over yet - here's what happens next
The case now goes back to the Swiss Anti-Doping Agency SSI. Subject to the formalities, the national anti-doping body may re-evaluate the A sample from 5 June 2022 as an abnormal or atypical analysis result. The SSI cannot legally challenge the latest decision of the disciplinary chamber and the lifted ban.
For Mathias Flückiger, who is already planning and training for the 2023 racing season, the matter is not yet off the table: "I hope that my case can be finalised as soon as possible. The constant uncertainty, the months of waiting and the unfounded accusations must finally come to an end."
