News flash for July 6, 2002

Edited by Jeff Jones

Ullrich foregoes B test: "It was a stupidity"

Jan Ullrich has accepted his positive test for amphetamine that was taken on June 12 at a rehabilitation clinic in Bad Wiessee, and will not be requesting analysis of his B sample. He had until midnight last night to make a decision about whether to take it, but decided to "skip the B test." Ullrich gave a press conference on Saturday in Frankfurt, where he revealed the cause of the positive test.

He said that the evening before the test was taken, he had been out with a few friends and "had a few drinks". Someone gave him two tablets and he had taken them without thinking.

"It was a stupidity, and inexcusable," he said. "I likewise have to say that it was nothing to do with improving my performance. In all the years of my career I have never tried banned substances to do this. I can't let that sit on me."

He blamed his actions on his frustration with his injured knee, that has kept him out of competition nearly all year. "For me it is human, because in this situation I would sit around the house in the evenings. I was often out, I was often drunk. But I have never taken tablets. It was the first and only time."

He is likely to be suspended between 6 and 12 months as a result, and the German federation has initiated a procedure against him. Also, he may face a civil case, as possession of amphetamine is illegal under German law.

About his contract with the team for the future, he doesn't know. "We've had good conversations, I've had support. We can't exactly say anything about that yet," he added.

(All rights reserved/Copyright Knapp Communications Pty Limited 2002)