Today (August 19), the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) announced that they have provisionally suspended Australian tennis player Nick Kyrgios. He apparently violated the Tennis Anti-Doping Programme.
The 31-year-old reportedly tested positive for benzoylecgonine, which is a metabolite of cocaine.
“While suspended, 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,” they announced.
He provided the sample on June 22, and has been suspended since August 4.
Nick Kyrgios released a statement on testing positive for cocaine
He posted the following on his Instagram Story.
I wanted you to hear this from me first. I recently failed a drug test in Mallorca after testing positive for cocaine. 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.
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. 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.
I’m sorry. I’ll do the work and come back better.
How long with Nick Kyrgios be suspended for?
It’s unclear at this time, though ESPN reports “Kyrgios faces a ban of up to four years.”
In 2017, Dan Evans tested positive for the same substance and faced a one year ban.
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