German Cyclist Jan Ullrich Sacked Amid Doping Allegations

Ullrich, the 1997 Tour de France winner who would have been one of the favourites for the 2006 race, had been suspended by T-Mobile the day before the July 1 start.

The 2000 Olympic road race champion had been suspected of using the services of Eufemiano Fuentes, whom Spanish police believe is at the heart of a blood-doping network.

Ullrich's agent Wolfgang Strohband said his client would take legal action.

Spain's Oscar Sevilla, who had also been provisionally suspended on June 30, was also sacked by T-Mobile.

"Ullrich is implicated" in doping affair

T-Mobile announced the news during the 18th stage of the Tour de France between Morzine and Macon though the sacking had been made in writing on Thursday.

"We made this decision because we believe, looking at the information provided by investigators, that Jan Ullrich is implicated in the Spanish doping affair," T-Mobile spokesman Christian Frommert said. "However Ullrich has not returned a positive doping test."

Frommert added that the company was not planning to discuss the matter any further until the end of the Tour de France this weekend.

"We will wait for discussions between the two parties next week, though Jan Ullrich and those around him decided to make a statement," he said.

Ullrich finds sacking "shameful"

Ullrich published a statement on his Web site saying that the way he had been axed was "unacceptable.

"I am very disappointed that this decision was not communicated to me personally but that it was faxed to my lawyers," Ullrich wrote. "I find it shameful that after so many years of a good and fruitful working relationship and after all that I have done for the team, I am merely sent a fax."

The 32-year-old Ullrich had been under contract with T-Mobile until the end of the year.

Frommert refused to comment on Ullrich's reaction.