London, Aug 19 (IANS) The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) has provisionally suspended Australian tennis player Nick Kyrgios under the Tennis Anti-Doping Programme after the 31-year-old tested positive for a metabolite of cocaine in June.
Kyrgios provided a sample during an ATP 250 event in Mallorca, Spain, on June 22. On July 17, a World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA)-accredited laboratory confirmed the presence of benzoylecgonine, a metabolite of cocaine.
Cocaine is classified a stimulant and substance of abuse on the WADA Prohibited List and is banned in competition under the Tennis Anti-Doping Programme. Reduced sanctions apply for substances of abuse for athletes who test positive for the substance out of competition.
“Because of the nature of the substance, a provisional suspension is mandatory and has been in place since August 4. Kyrgios, who reached a career-high world singles ranking of 13 in October 2016, has the right to appeal the provisional suspension but has not done so to date,” ITIA said.
As a result of suspension, Kyrgios is not allowed to play in, coach at, or attend any events organised or sanctioned by World Tennis, WTA, ATP, the Grand Slams, or any national association.
Taking full responsibility for the violation, Kyrgios broke his silence in a statement released on social media. Addressing the factors behind his recent struggles, the former Wimbledon finalist pointed to a gruelling stretch of physical setbacks that have hampered his career.
“I made a huge mistake and I take full responsibility for it. I’m sorry to my fans, my family, my sponsors, and everyone close to me. Above all, I’m sorry to the kids who follow me. I know the example this sets, and I’m deeply disappointed in myself,” he shared on Instagram.
Kyrgios continued, “I’m not going to make excuses, but I do want to give some context about where I’ve been. The last couple of years of injuries have taken a huge toll on me, both physically and mentally. My body hasn’t been able to do what my mind expects it to do, and coming to terms with being near the end of my career has been harder than I ever imagined.
“I’ve always said I didn’t choose tennis—tennis chose me. But letting go of something that has been my whole life is one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to face. At times, I’ve felt helpless and alone.
“None of that excuses what I did. However, the good news is that this has given me a wake-up call.”
Kyrgios said he would be stepping away from social media and public life for the next 28 days to “focus on getting myself right”.
“For the next 28 days, I’ll be stepping away from social media and public life while I focus on getting myself right. I’d ask that people respect my privacy during that time, and most importantly, the privacy of my family,” he said.
The Australian has played just four singles matches this season, as he has struggled with knee and wrist injuries in recent years. He last played in the men’s doubles at Wimbledon, where he and his partner Alexander Bublik lost in the first round.
Kyrgios has won seven ATP Tour singles titles and reached the Wimbledon final in 2022, losing in four sets to Novak Djokovic. He and compatriot Thanasi Kokkinakis won the Australian Open men’s doubles title together in 2022.
–IANS
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