"From one second to the next, everything was gone. Everything that I, my family and my team had built up and achieved. My world collapsed on August 18, 2022 in Munich. I went through by far the worst time of my life," Flückiger opened the media conference at the Haus des Sports in Ittigen. The 34-year-old from Oberaargau added: "I am proud of the hurdles my team and I have overcome together over the last six months and what we have achieved to date."

"I have to be able to go onto the race track with confidence"

The former overall World Cup winner will make his comeback on March 19, 2023 at the Swiss season opener in Gränichen, Aargau. He already tested his form on February 26 in Spain, where he rode across the finish line in sixth place in Banyoles. "In order for me as an athlete to be able to go out on the race course free, I have to tell my story beforehand and present important facts about the case. It's not about judging or condemning. I want to show that my case became a doping case, even though it should never have become one."

With his lawyer, Dr. Thilo Pachmann, and his scientific advisor, Dr. Matthias Kamber, Flückiger recapitulated the case chronologically. They substantiated key points in part with extracts from original documents:

The Lausanne doping laboratory informed Swiss Sports Integrity (SSI) on July 11, 2022 (five weeks after the sample at the Swiss Championships in Leysin) about an "atypical finding" of 0.3 ng zeranol. It pointed out to SSI that this test result could indicate food contamination.

Instead of initiating the relevant proceedings immediately, as prescribed by the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada), SSI spent five weeks researching how to interpret this result. On August 18, 2022, the SSI then issued a provisional ban against Flückiger.The Disciplinary Chamber of Swiss Olympic (DK) judged this procedure to be a mistake in its ruling on December 17, 2022. The Wada stakeholder notice was binding in any case. The DK lifted the provisional ban because it should never have been imposed due to the "atypical finding".There is no scientific evidence that Zeranol is used as a doping agent. Zeranol is fundamentally different from known anabolic steroids used in sports circles (such as clenbuterol and nandrolone).

There are many possible causes of contamination. Kamber showed that these occur time and again. This is precisely why Wada introduced the stakeholder notice to regulate the handling of contamination clearly and fairly.

On February 10, 2023, SSI interviewed Flückiger. The main topic was how contamination could have occurred.

"I hope for a quick solution to the case"

Fückiger didn't think about returning to the racing circuit for a long time: "For several months, I didn't know whether I would ever want to return to top-level sport. Competitions weren't just a long way off, they were non-existent for me. During this time, I lived from day to day. It was the moment that counted. There was no future, just the now."

With around two and a half weeks to go before the Swiss Bike Cup race, Flückiger is confident about the verdict in his case. But the uncertainty of how long it will take is extremely stressful. "I very much hope that the competent authorities will conclude my case as quickly as possible. Only then will I finally be rid of this constant, sometimes almost unbearable burden."

Flückiger reflected on the system: "What happened to me can happen to any Swiss athlete. There can't be a second fate like mine. That's why I hope there will be an independent investigation into my case, from which the necessary conclusions will be drawn."

In conclusion, Flückiger said: "I just want to do what I love best: mountain biking! With unlimited passion and with unlimited joy."