Public prosecutor’s office involved
Did Felix Sturm cover up doping again?
December 18, 2023, 4:55 p.m
In the spring, professional boxer Felix Sturm will be serving a prison sentence for, among other things, a doping violation. Now an ARD report suggests that the former world champion concealed doping with infusions. The National Anti-Doping Agency has called in the public prosecutor’s office.
The National Anti Doping Agency (NADA) has called in the public prosecutor’s office because of a possible banned infusion use on professional boxer Felix Sturm (44). NADA CEO Lars Mortsiefer confirmed this to the sports information service.
“Based on the anti-doping law, after the broadcast of the ARD report ‘Infusion: Instagram photo puts boxer Sturm in trouble’, the facts were transmitted to the responsible public prosecutor’s office,” explained Mortsiefer. It is a so-called informational communication to the Düsseldorf public prosecutor’s office. This will now decide on how to proceed.
The ARD sports show got the ball rolling with a report on Sunday evening. Former world champion Sturm, who recently served an open prison sentence for, among other things, a doping violation, was seen on social media in January in a photo that showed him during an infusion with a physiotherapist and alternative practitioner. His practice published the photo, and ARD confronted NADA with the incident.
Sports law consequences for Sturm?
Infusions in which more than 100 milliliters of fluid are administered within twelve hours are prohibited for competitive athletes. They are on the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) banned list because they can mask doping substances in the body. The WADA prohibited list is also the basis of the German anti-doping law. Exceptions are emergency treatments or special permits.
According to the anti-doping law, if charges are filed, Sturm and his supervisor face a fine or a prison sentence of up to three years. In terms of sports law, Sturm may not have to fear any consequences because the Association of German Professional Boxers (BDB) has not subjected itself to the WADA code. Infusions are not explicitly mentioned in the association’s doping regulations.
According to sportschau.de, the alternative practitioner who carried out the infusion on Sturm confirmed to the ARD doping editorial team before the article was published that Sturm had received 250 milliliters of saline solution plus supposedly vitamin C.
Sturm last won the rematch against Sükrü Altay at the beginning of December (point win in the first meeting in February). The former world champion defeated the Turk, who was five years his junior, by technical knockout in the ninth of ten scheduled rounds in Ludwigsburg.