Francesco Friedrich is being stripped of the 2024-25 overall World Cup title in the two-man bobsleigh due to the positive doping test of his brakeman Simon Wulff, German Bobsleigh, Luge, and Skeleton Federation (BSD) told dpa on Thursday.

In a letter from the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation (IBSF) to the BSD, which was obtained by dpa, all individual competition results of Wulff are to be annulled, including medals and prize money.

The case was initially reported by broadcasters ZDF on Wednesday.

As a result, the overall World Cup victory will retroactively go to Friedrich’s rival Johannes Lochner, while Friedrich drops to third place despite Wulff only being his brakeman for some races of the season.

Former track and field athlete Wulff had celebrated victories with four-time Olympic champion Friedrich in the two-man bobsleigh in Altenberg and Sigulda, as well as a second-place finish in the four-man bobsleigh in Winterberg, before his positive test came to light.

Wulff tested positive for the substance methylhexanamine during the World Cup opener in Altenberg in December 2024. While the substance is permitted in training, it is banned in competition. Wulff has consistently denied knowingly taking the substance.

Following his positive test being announced, Wulff was banned retroactively for 21 months until September 2026.

This means the 24-year-old will not be available to bobsleigh icon Friedrich at the Winter Olympics in February.