Two German hockey players face bans after missing doping tests
HAMBURG, Germany — The German Hockey League plans three-month suspensions for two players after they missed doping tests.
Daniel Kreutzer and Aleksander Polaczek face the punishment for failing to comply with out-of-competition rules.
However, the German Hockey League said it expects legal battles from the teams involved, while the country's ice hockey federation said the testing laws had to be enforced or they would be ineffective.
Defender Robert Dietrich was found guilty of the violation, but the sixth-round pick has been sent by the Nashville Predators to minor-league Milwaukee Admirals in the United States and can't be suspended by the German league.
No positive test has been registered in the case in which nine players were investigated, with three slapped with a warning.
