ITF Set To Publish Provisional Suspensions

Players provisionally suspended for a failed drugs test will be publicly named in the latest anti-doping offensive by the International Tennis Federation.

Under current procedures, a player doesn’t have to be named if they received no penalty following a positive test.  Due to the murky situation surrounding the approach, the term ‘silent ban’ has been applied to tennis players on numerous occasions. During the 2013 Wimbledon championships Marin Cilic was absent from the tournament due to an alleged knee injury, however, it was later revealed that it was because of a failed drugs test. Cilic tested positive for Nikethamide after a member of his team brought some glucose tablets from a pharmacy containing the prohibited substance.

A more recent high profile case was that of Maria Sharapova, who tested positive for Meldonium during the Australian Open. The former world No.1 confirmed her positive test during a press conference in March and is currently serving a two-year ban. Sharapova is appealing her ban to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

In a bid for greater transparency surrounding anti-doping controls in tennis, players provisionally suspended for a failed test will be publicly named from September 1st onwards. The ITF has decided to publish the names after receiving accusations of players previously serving bans without public knowledge, an accusation that they have denied.

The public naming of suspended players will be made regardless of if they have voluntarily accepted the suspension. There is also a chance that the provisional suspensions could be overturned if there is a justifiable reason.

A player’s suspension will not become public knowledge until it is in effect. Under the rules a player has the right to challenge the test beforehand.

People currently suspended by the ITF