Because of hobby game: Doping ban for handball player extended

The doping ban for handball player Nils Kretschmer has been extended by a further year due to his participation in an amateur game. This was confirmed to dpa by the German Handball League (HBL). Previously, "Bild" and "Sächsische Zeitung" had reported.

Kretschmer had been banned for doping with testosterone from March 2025 to December 11, 2027. The former TV Großwallstadt professional had tested positive in September 2024 and later described the offense as "the biggest mistake of my life".

On February 14, the 33-year-old took part in a Legends game of his former club HC Elbflorenz in Dresden. The HBL saw this as a violation of the ban on participation in competitions and extended the ban until December 11, 2028.

Club with a different view than the league

Second-division club Elbflorenz does not follow this argument. "The legends game was part of this anniversary event and, from HC Elbflorenz's point of view, not comparable to a regular match or competition," the club said. "Irrespective of this, HC Elbflorenz respects the assessment and decision of the responsible authorities. The club regrets the situation that has arisen, especially for Nils Kretschmer personally."

Kretschmer had told the "Sächsische Zeitung" when asked about the extension of the suspension: "There's nothing for me to say so far." Kretschmer, who played in Dresden for nine years, is considered a handball influencer and has over 420,000 followers on Instagram.

In February, he confirmed to "Handball World" magazine that he was done with professional handball. At most, he might play again for fun after the ban expires.