Zabel controversy

Business Day: German cycling chief resigns over Zabel inclusion

"Top sprinter Erik Zabel’s inclusion in a preliminary squad for the world road cycling championships has led to the resignation of German cycling federation vice-president (BDR) Dieter Kuehnle. Germany’s Zabel, a former six-time winner of the Tour de France’s green jersey, was named yesterday in a preliminary 21-man squad for the competition to be held in Stuttgart from September 26-30.

However the fallout from Zabel’s recent confession to having “briefly” used the banned blood booster EPO (erythropoietin) in 1996, when he won the first of his six points competitions at the Tour de France, has failed to settle. After the German cycling federation (BDR) voted six to two in favour of his inclusion, Kuehnle stormed out of the meeting and resigned in protest over what he feels is the pro-Zabel attitude of BDR boss Rudolf Scharping.

“I am sorry I have had to make this decision but I don’t agree with the federation’s decision,” said Kuehnle. “The BDR has to show courage, but this signal sends out the wrong message.” The 62-year-old had pleaded for the introduction of a new generation of riders, but has encountered resistance to the idea from senior BDR figures, particularly Scharping. Kuehnle is not alone. Stuttgart’s organising committee president, Susanne Eisenmann, demanded Zabel’s exclusion to help encourage a new start in German cycling after several high-profile doping scandals."