Fiedler positive

One of the top German track sprinters, Jens Fiedler, has had his retirement soured by a positive doping test for amphetamines. Fiedler, who won three Olympic gold medals, retired this year after a long and successful career on the track. But at one of his final appearance races in Manchester on February 26, he returned a positive test.

The German Cycling Federation announced the result, adding that when contacted in Mallorca, Fiedler was apparently shocked, and offered the explanation that the amphetamine might have been in some medication that he was taking the week before the meet.

"The association takes the opinion of Jens Fiedler on board, but nevertheless sees itself as obligated to inform the public immediately," said BDR president Rudolf Scharping in a statement. "A conscious decision to take an illegal drug is as incomprehensible to the BDR as it is to Jens Fiedler, who at the time of the positive test had long finished his successful career as a track sprinter. Nevertheless, the BDR will act according to the rules, and see to the necessary consequences."

For his part, Fiedler stated, "I officially ended my career at the Berlin Six Day race on February 1. Only because of my good contacts with the organisers of the "Revolution Race", I travelled to Manchester at the end of February. Actually I only wanted to give out autographs, but then I let myself be persuaded to start in the sprint race.

"I have always fought in favour of the battle against performance enhancing drugs, and I will keep doing that. In my career, I have tested negative 200 times, and now must pay for a baseless folly after the end of it. That is tragic. Now, I only have one thing to say: I would not put the shine of my three Olympic Gold medals and my credibility acquired in many years of competitive sport aside because of a few euros that I could earn in a kermis race."