A developing story has come out of Germany, ARD's Sportschau, has come out with allegations that Marcel Kittel is among 28 athletes that received black light blood transfusions from Dr. Andreas Frank at his clinic in Erfurt. A police investigation has been going on for almost a year and has been centered around Frank. Former Olympic Gold medalists Neils Schumann (800 meters) and Claudia Pechstein (speed skating) were also named by the show. Both have had previous doping cases opened up against them with Pechstein serving a two year ban. Sportschau also named Kittel's ex-Thüringer Energie teammate Jakob Steigmiller as an athlete that received treatment from Frank.
Project 1t4i GM Iwan Spekenbrink has stated that he has talked to Kittel, who told him that he did visit Frank's clinic in Erfurt in 2008. Kittel told Spekenbrink that he did have an UV treatment for an apparent sickness but that was the extent of his visits with Frank and there was no money transferred between the two parties. Team management has not taken out any disciplinary action on Kittel.