Jenson Brooksby says he is ‘very disappointed’ with the decision of the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) to suspend him from the Tour for 18 months.
The former world No.33 has been hit with the penalty after missing three anti-doping control tests within 12 months. During a hearing with the ITIA, Brooksby accepted that the first and third missed tests were valid. However, he contested the second during a hearing with an independent tribunal by saying he was in the hotel room at the time doping control officers visited but the receptionist told the officer that he had not checked in yet. Brooksby says no attempt was made to call his room.
“I accepted that two of my missed tests were my fault, but I continue to maintain that my June 4, 2022, missed test should be set aside,” Brooksby wrote in a statement published on Instagram.
“No call was made to my hotel room for the entire hour, and the Doping Control Officer only called my cell phone (which was on silent) in the last four minutes of the testing window (at 6:56AM). Had the Doping Control Office called my hotel room even once, I would have for sure been tested, because I was awake and had nothing to hide.”
Despite his argument, a tribunal concluded that he had a ‘high’ degree of fault for the test in question based on evidence provided by Brooksby, the Doping Control Officer (DCO), and additional witnesses. In a statement from the ITIA, they said the tennis player ‘was negligent by not making themself available for testing during the identified time slot.’
The 22-year-old has confirmed that he plans to appeal against the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). He has 21 days to submit an appeal from the day he learned of his suspension.
“I intend to appeal this decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. I have been fighting injuries for almost a year, and my return to the sport that I love will unfortunately be delayed a little bit longer,” he stated.
Brooksby is one of his country’s most promising young players who reached the fourth round of the 2021 US Open. At the time he was the youngest American man to make that stage of the Grand Slam for 19 years. He has reached the final of three ATP 250 events and has previously beaten top 10 players Stefanos Tsitsipas and Casper Ruud.
However, he has also been hindered by injury with a toe injury forcing him to miss the entire 2020 season. He has also undergone surgery on both of his wrists earlier this year.
As it currently stands, Brooksby will not be allowed to return to professional tennis until January 4th, 2024.
