German athletes who use banned substances could be sent to jail for up to three years, according to a new anti-doping law to be presented by the German government on Wednesday. Dealers and doctors who assist in doping could face up to 10 years in prison.
Athletes found to have used doping products, or to possess them even in very small amounts, would be subject to a jail sentence of one to three years, in addition to the possibility of heavy fines. The sanctions would apply not only to German athletes, but to any athlete who is caught doping or possessing doping products in Germany.
Those who endanger the health of a large number of persons or subject an athlete to the danger of death through doping products, such as dealers or doctors, could face upon to ten years imprisonment.
The bill must be approved by the German parliament and would be expected to be put into effect in the spring of 2015.
Petacchi choosing between three options
Alessandro Petacchi is yet to decide on his future in cycling and remains without a contract for 2015. The Italian sprinter has two offers on the table at the moment, one from the Pro Continental team Neri Sottoli and another from a French team with a young sprinter that he would mentor, reports tuttobiciweb. "There could be a third way," Petacchi told the website.
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"I could stop and start a new life, as I have said on another occasion. I would still like to race for a year or two. In particular, I would like to teach cycling, to be put in the service of a team of young talent."
Petacchi has already retired once in his career, in 2013, but it didn't last very long and he was snapped up by Omega Pharma-QuickStep before the end of the season. He has been working as a lead-out man for Mark Cavendish this season, but failed to secure a new contract for next year. Petacchi has spent his off-season rekindling his childhood by racing mountain bike, something he has hasn't done since his days as a junior. The Italian seems content with whatever happens next season.
"I would like to race some more, although it doesn' bother me," he explains. "I like it enormously, but I would like to make myself useful to improve young people, be closer to my wife and my little Alessandro, who is now 6, and it is always better to be with him. What can I say? I hope that I can find a new team that works for me, for an old man who still doesn't feel old and has a strong desire to learn and explore new horizons."
King on the mend
Wiggle-Honda rider and Olympic medallist Dani King is still recovering in hospital after a training crash three days ago. King was out training when she hit a pothole and came down, breaking five ribs and puncturing a lung and was forced to spend a night in intensive care. It is not known how long King will be in hospital.
Sütterlin extends with Movistar
Neo-pro Jasha Sütterlin has added two more years to his contract with Movistar. Sütterlin's current contract wasn't due to run out until next season, but the new contract secures his place in the team until the end of 2017. The 22-year-old German rider turned professional with Movistar this season after learning his trade at the same Thüringer Energie team that produced the likes of Tony Martin, Marcel Kittel and John Degenkolb.
"It makes me very happy that the team has such confidence in me, which I want to pay back with power, of course," Sütterlin told RadSport-News.
Oroz turns DS after retirement
Former Euskaltel-Euskadi rider Juan Jose Oroz will hang up his wheels at the end of this season and turn director sportif for the Lizarte team. The Spanish amateur team has begun the career of several Spanish professionals, including Joseba Beloki and Movistar rider Andrey Amador.
Oroz is one of the few riders to have ridden all five of the monuments in the space of a year, beginning with the Giro di Lombardia in October 2007 and finishing with Liège-Bastogne-Liège of the following year. After Euskaltel folded at the end of 2013, he signed for PinoRoad but switched to the Continental Burgos-BH team after problems with the team. He took his first victory in almost a decade at the Tour de Korea in June of this year.
