Road Bike Racing - Report: German authorities secured DNA samples in raid on Jan Ullrich's home

September 14, 2006
AP - Sep 13, 12:55 pm EDT

BERLIN (AP) -- German authorities secured samples of former Tour de France winner Jan Ullrich's DNA when they raided his Swiss residence Wednesday, according to a report released Thursday.

Germany's Sueddeutsche Zeitung said in an advance release of its Friday edition that authorities plan to compare the German rider's DNA with frozen blood seized at a Madrid clinic as part of a doping investigation that forced Ullrich and eight other riders to withdraw from this year's Tour.

Authorities could not immediately be reached to comment on the report.

On Thursday, Germany's Federal Crime Office said Ullrich's main residence in Switzerland and nine other homes and offices were searched as part of a fraud investigation by Bonn prosecutors in connection with a Spanish doping probe linked to doctor Eufemiano Fuentes.

Ullrich was not at home during the raid.

More at link:

http://sports.yahoo.com/sc/news?slug=ap-ullrich-raid&prov=ap&type=lgns

Man, they don't mess around. I'd be curious to see how the whole warrant process works in cases like these, where so many things are happening in different countries, etc.. Seems like it would be a legal mess, but maybe the EU factor helps.

It says it's part of a fraud investigation--who's filing the charges? T-Mobile?

What are teh implications for Ullrich if there is a DNA match? I mean he's already been sacked and isn't racing...is it a 2 year ban or would there be additional charges?

September 14, 2006
AP - Sep 13, 12:55 pm EDT

BERLIN (AP) -- German authorities secured samples of former Tour de France winner Jan Ullrich's DNA when they raided his Swiss residence Wednesday, according to a report released Thursday.

Germany's Sueddeutsche Zeitung said in an advance release of its Friday edition that authorities plan to compare the German rider's DNA with frozen blood seized at a Madrid clinic as part of a doping investigation that forced Ullrich and eight other riders to withdraw from this year's Tour.

Authorities could not immediately be reached to comment on the report.

On Thursday, Germany's Federal Crime Office said Ullrich's main residence in Switzerland and nine other homes and offices were searched as part of a fraud investigation by Bonn prosecutors in connection with a Spanish doping probe linked to doctor Eufemiano Fuentes.

Ullrich was not at home during the raid.

More at link:

http://sports.yahoo.com/sc/news?slug=ap-ullrich-raid&prov=ap&type=lgnsIf he wasn't home, how can they know it was his DNA they collected?

"Jan, ist this your toothen brush?"

If he wasn't home, how can they know it was his DNA they collected?

It was crushing the souls of other DNA samples found in the house. :D

What are teh implications for Ullrich if there is a DNA match? I mean he's already been sacked and isn't racing...is it a 2 year ban or would there be additional charges?
Ullrich has not had any official sanctions from the UCI yet. T-Mobile pulled him from the TdF based upon allegations made by Spanish police in the Fuentes case, then fired him with the official reasons listed as a) he was working with an unapproved doctor and b) lied to T-Mobile about his relationship with Fuentes. In theory another team could hire him and put him on the road, in practice he's radioactive right now.

If there is solid evidence that he doped during competitions, I assume the UCI would request a hearing from the German anti-doping organization. If found guilty, I believe the UCI will rescind some titles, ban him for 2 years, and he'd face another 2-year ban from the ProTour circuit. Normally the second offense leads to a lifetime ban, but Ullrich is old enough that 2-4 year bans will likely end his pro career....

gosh. That would certainly ruin a days ride.

Swiss cycling has jurisdiction over Ullrich- just a clarification. The German angle is in a fraud case involving his work for a German team.

They confiscated his, umm, DNA-laden rag.

What are teh implications for Ullrich if there is a DNA match? I mean he's already been sacked and isn't racing...is it a 2 year ban or would there be additional charges?

There might be additional charges, if Switzerland or Germany have laws against "sporting fraud", similar to Italy.

It was crushing the souls of other DNA samples found in the house. :D

I laughed so hard milk came out of my nose with that one....

What are teh implications for Ullrich if there is a DNA match? I mean he's already been sacked and isn't racing...is it a 2 year ban or would there be additional charges?

He's been sacked and is under investigation, but he has not been to trial yet.
Ullrich refused to give T-Mobile DNA samples to prove that the blood found in Fuentes' clinic was not his. That's why they sacked him.
If they match the blood, he will be banned, he will face criminal charges in Germany or Switzerland, and he will likely be sued by T-Mobile.

How do I get to "der Kaiser's" Blog?

How do I get to "der Kaiser's" Blog?

www.myspace.com/kaiserjan

Although it's not been updated in a while. Seems the whole Operacion Puerto thing pissed off the author.

www.myspace.com/kaiserjan

Although it's not been updated in a while. Seems the whole Operacion Puerto thing pissed off the author.Some things are bigger than reality. That site should have been one.

A good read.

What are teh implications for Ullrich if there is a DNA match? I mean he's already been sacked and isn't racing...is it a 2 year ban or would there be additional charges?

I thought he had an earlier infraction for taking ecstasy (does that really enhance performance?), in which case a second infraction would be for lifetime, correct?

It was crushing the souls of other DNA samples found in the house. :D

ha! good one!

Man, they don't mess around.

Nein, one doesn't make with the around-playing when dealing with Der Polizei...

I thought he had an earlier infraction for taking ecstasy (does that really enhance performance?), in which case a second infraction would be for lifetime, correct?

Not extasy, testosterone.
Regardless, I doubt we'll see him racing again.

Not extasy, testosterone.
Regardless, I doubt we'll see him racing again.
If that's a joke, I don't get it it.
http://www.velonews.com/race/int/articles/4335.0.html
"Jan Ullrich is looking fit and determined in what's a comeback Tour de France for the 1997 champion. After a dark 2002, when he suffered two knee surgeries and tested positive for the party drug ecstasy, Ullrich is back with modest aspirations for Saturday's start of the Tour."

I thought he had an earlier infraction for taking ecstasy (does that really enhance performance?), in which case a second infraction would be for lifetime, correct?


According to wikipedia Ullrich was given a 6 month ban: "After a positive blood sample for amphetamine in June of 2002,..." Mcquaid has stated that Ullrich will be given a lifetime ban if convicted.

According to Cycling news no DNA samples were taken during the raid by police.




http://www.cyclingnews.com/news.php?id=news/2006/sep06/sep18news
No DNA samples taken from Ullrich

Contrary to earlier reports, no DNA samples were taken in the search of Jan Ullrich's house in Scherzigen, Switzerland, this week. Chief Swiss investigator Herbert Amman said "That was a hoax." Since Ullrich was not at home at the time, no sample could be taken, he pointed out. The searchers had the right to take a saliva test, but it was not carried out due to Ullrich's absence. Amman conducted the search with the help of German investigators.

Ullrich "has in the meantime appeared and has been oriented over the search," according to Amman. In fact, Ullrich got in touch with the investigators on the day of the search. Amman did not comment as to whether or not Ullrich had given a voluntary DNA sample.

I guess that this tread is moot.