The National Anti-Doping Agency has contacted the public prosecutor’s office because of an apparently carelessly posted Instagram photo of an infusion application on professional boxer Felix Sturm.
The National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) has called in the public prosecutor’s office in connection with a possibly banned infusion use on professional boxer Felix Sturm. NADA chairman Lars Mortsiefer confirmed this to the ARD doping editorial team, which reported on Sunday about a possible violation of anti-doping regulations by the two men.
“On the basis of the anti-doping law, NADA transmitted the facts to the responsible public prosecutor’s office after the ARD report was broadcast,” said Mortsiefer. The Düsseldorf public prosecutor’s office is responsible for the so-called informational communication from NADA.
Sturm’s physiotherapist and alternative practitioner had carried out at least one infusion application on the boxer and posted a photo of the process on the practice’s own Instagram profile at the beginning of 2023. Infusions, regardless of content, in which more than 100 ml of fluid are administered within twelve hours are prohibited for competitive athletes. They are on the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) banned list because they can mask doping substances in the body. The WADA prohibited list is also the basis of the German anti-doping law. Exceptions are emergency treatments or special permits. According to ARD research, Sturm did not have such a case in this case.
Identity of alternative practitioner known
According to the anti-doping law, if charges are filed, Sturm and his supervisor face a fine or a prison sentence of up to three years. In terms of sports law, Sturm may not have to fear any consequences because the Association of German Professional Boxers (BDB) has not subjected itself to the WADA code. Infusions are not explicitly mentioned in the association’s doping regulations.
Under criminal law, if charges are brought, Sturm would have to be accused of intending to dope. The alternative practitioner, whose name is not mentioned in the report for legal reasons, is already liable to prosecution if he acted negligently. NADA confirmed that it had researched the man’s name and that the complaint to the public prosecutor was directed against the specific person.
Storm at Public prosecutor “no stranger”
The alternative practitioner who carried out the infusion on Sturm confirmed to the ARD doping editorial team in an interview before the article was published that the boxer had received the standard treatment from him: 250 milliliters of saline solution plus the active ingredient, in the case of the professional boxer supposedly vitamin C “350 milliliters, I can get that in without hesitation, purely theoretically I could go up to 500 milliliters.”said the therapist. On Monday, like Sturm, he was initially unavailable to the ARD doping editorial team.
Sturm, real name Adnan Ćatić, has a criminal record. He most recently served a prison sentence of two years and four months in open prison, which was suspended on probation in October. In addition to tax evasion, a violation of the anti-doping law was also included in Sturm’s sentence. In 2016, he was caught using the anabolic steroid Stanozolol after his World Championship fight against Russia’s Fyodor Chudinov.
Sturm hasn’t finished his career yet
“It will play a major role for the public prosecutor that Mr. Sturm is no stranger to violations of the anti-doping law,” said criminal lawyer Oliver Kraft to the ARD doping editorial team.
The 44-year-old Sturm has not yet ended his career; after his win on December 2nd against Sükrü Altay in Ludwigsburg, he left his sporting future open.
Cologne was received. After an internal coordination process, the Düsseldorf public prosecutor’s office processes the matter. This is not a criminal complaint, but rather a so-called informational notice.
Annotation: An earlier version of the article stated that the complaint had been received by the Cologne public prosecutor’s office. After an internal coordination process, the Düsseldorf public prosecutor’s office processes the matter. This is not a criminal complaint, but rather a so-called informational notice.