Pechstein plans Olympic return - in 2012 cycling

Jun 28, 2011, 12:21 GMT

Berlin - Claudia Pechstein plans to return to the Olympics - not in speed skating 2014 but as early as next year in London in track cycling.

Pechstein, 39, told the website of the Sport Bild magazine Tuesday that she aims to compete at next month's national track cycling championships in Berlin in the individual pursuit and that she also planned races in the sprint and 500m time trial.

'The Olympic Summer Games 2012 in London are my aim - as a cyclist. I considered it several times, as early as a few years ago. But I didn't really want to compete in summer,' she said.

Pechstein is Germany's most decorated Winter Olympian with five gold, two silver and two bronze medals in speed skating.

She is back from a two-year ban over a doping rules violation, banned by the skating body over suspicious blood levels.

Pechstein said she believes she can compete although the International Olympic Committee does not allow banned athletes into the next Games. Pechstein said the rule does not apply to her because she never failed a doping test.

'The rule doesn't apply to me because I never doped,' she said, adding that ban (confirmed by CAS) was wrong. 'I will do everything that the rule (by the IOC) doesn't apply to me ... I will fight for my chance.'

The IOC is having the rule checked by the Court of Arbitration for Sport because some athletes and officials say it is an additional punishment.

If Pechstein qualifies for London and is allowed to compete there before also targeting Sochi 2014, she would join other speed skaters who have also been at the Summer Games in cycling.

East German Christa Luding-Rothenburger for instance won 1,000m skating gold and 500m cycling silver in 1988.

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