Statement Team Visma | Lease a Bike after ruling in Michel Hessmann case
Team Visma | Lease a Bike has taken note of the German anti-doping agency NADA's decision in the case against Michel Hessmann. The rider was suspended by the team after a minimal amount of Chlortalidone was found in his urine during an out of competition control on 14 June 2023.
The NADA has now concluded that it is plausible that Hessmann took a contaminated medicine such as paracetamol, ibuprofen or naproxen. Earlier, external experts came to that conclusion and the German judiciary dismissed the case back in January.
However, the NADA also believes that the risk of contaminated medication lies with the athlete and therefore proposed the lightest possible suspension of 4 months to Hessmann, with a retroactive effect of three months. That was accepted by the rider today. As a result, he is suspended for at least another month. After that, Michel Hessmann and the team will consider how to proceed.
