The former Team Telekom masseur known by the nickname 'Eule' may have been a Stasi informer.
It wasn't difficult for him to obtain juicy information: as a masseur and physiotherapist, Dieter 'Eule' Ruthenberg kneaded the legs of professional cyclists such as Jan Ullrich and Erik Zabel for seventeen years; he was also something of a confessor, where people could get their problems off their chest.
According to the news magazine 'Der Spiegel', Ruthenberg provided information to the GDR State Security from 1976 to 1989 as an unofficial collaborator (IM) called "Sascha", for example about the sex lives of top athletes, their training status, rivalries or whims and misdemeanours.
The surprising findings emerged after torn-up files from the Birthler office were reassembled. However, Ruthenberg himself denies the accusations and stated that he did not knowingly provide the Stasi with any information.
