Ullrich's troubled career took another knock on Tuesday when he was fined by a Bavarian court after admitting taking amphetamines in a nightclub.

Ullrich, who did not take part in this year's Tour as he was recovering from knee surgery, told Monday's edition of Bild he is unsure whether to return to the sport.

"I don't really know if I will cycle again, I don't know if I can motivate myself," he said.

"If my knee will hold up, only the future will tell."

The Olympic road race champion's annual salary is believed to amount to around �830,000 but his team Telekom decided last month to stop paying his wages until further notice.

The 28-year-old was told at the start of July he had tested positive for amphetamines.

He was given just a six-month suspension as amphetamines are not regarded as performance enhancing for a rider in rehabilitation.

Ullrich later explained he had taken two pills while out with friends on the evening before the unannounced test, admitting it was "an idiotic thing to do, but I was depressed."

In June, a court banned him from driving for a year after a drink-driving incident and he was fined about two months salary.

The head of Team Telekom, Walter Godefroot, has expressed doubts about a comeback for Ullrich, who has been accused of sloppy training habits and not maximizing his potential since his Tour victory in 1997.