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Felix Sturm before the fight against Sükrü Altay in Stuttgart
Photo: Sandy Dinkelacker / Eibner / IMAGO
Felix Sturm has started his prison sentence in an open prison.
The public prosecutor responsible for economic crimes at the Cologne public prosecutor's office, Stephanie Beller, confirmed a corresponding report in the "Bild" newspaper.
"I can confirm that he entered his detention voluntarily on February 28 and that he is in open custody," said Beller.
In December 2021, Sturm was sentenced to two years and four months in prison by the Cologne Regional Court for tax evasion and violation of the anti-doping law.
Open prison means that inmates are allowed to leave the prison during the day to pursue a job.
They must then return promptly and on time.
In the event of violations of these requirements, the respective persons can be transferred to the closed prison.
Whether the 44-year-old Sturm, whose real name is Adnan Ćatić, can do full boxing training during the open prison remained open.
The continuation of his professional career with fights in the evening hours hardly seems possible under these circumstances.
"I am not aware of the design," said prosecutor Beller.
After his arrest in April 2019 at the FIBO fitness fair in Cologne, Sturm had already been in custody for eight months before he was allowed to leave prison after posting bail.
On February 18 he made a successful boxing comeback: he defeated the Turk Sükrü Altay in Stuttgart by unanimous decision.
ala/dpa