The disciplinary committee of the Swiss Olympic Committee decided Wednesday to drop the case against former professional cyclist Jan Ullrich. The action was taken against the cyclist for his alleged involvement in the Operación Puerto doping scandal. This news follows the International Olympic Committee’s decision last week in Vancouver, Canada announcing that he will likely keep his gold medal in the road race from the Sydney Games.
Denis Oswald told Het Laatste Nieuws just over a week ago, “We are reluctant to abandon it, but there is simply not a shred of evidence that Ullrich used doping at the Olympics in 2000.”
Ullrich, although he is German, had his primary residence in Switzerland, finishing his career with a Swiss racing license. His move to the country gave the Swiss Cycling Federation and Olympic Committee jurisdiction in the case. However, since his license hasn’t been in effect since 2006, the committee believe they no longer have the authority to make a ruling in the case.
In 2008 Ullrich put and end to the doping case against him in Germany by paying 250,000 euros.
The International Cycling Union (UCI) and World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) have been informed and could file an appeal against the decision.