Drugs in Tennis

THE TRUTH · Improver

Drugs in Tennis

indiana · Tennis legend

What I will say is that I was quite horrified by the appearance of the ATP drugs chief on Radio 5 live recently.

Smug complacency seemed to pour out of every sinnue. It became clear though that there was a real lack of blood tests as against urine tests ( Djokovic I think said he'd had only one in the last year ), although there appeared far too few tests in total anyway. And one big reason became clear ( although he initially basically denied it ), that is cost. Not enough funds for the ATP to do adequate drug testing, while players are threatening to boycott the US Open regarding the measly awards available there !

Who knows what playets might really be on drugs. But one thing appears to be the case, the ATP needs to be much more dedicated to finding out !

Jaggy1876 · Grand Slam Champion

I'd be more interested in match fixing in Tennis which I wouldn't be surprised to hear if it happened at futures or even challenger level. When you look at some of he random games you can bet on an some strange results coupled with the fact that prize money is so low it wouldn't surprise me if a few have been tempted.

The recent football revelations must surely suggest other sports will be next....

THE TRUTH · Improver

Agassi was tested positive and let off Read his book All interesting

Jaggy1876 · Grand Slam Champion

THE TRUTH wrote:
Agassi was tested positive and let off Read his book All interesting

I think everyone's read it hardly a secret

korriban · Challenger level

The sooner full-fat well-funded in-and-out-of-competition drug testing is brought in the better. Within tennis, it seems to be very half hearted, and I'm pleased that some of the big stars of the men's game are pushing for much more to be done, and quickly. To be honest, given the exceptional endurance and recovery powers of these superstars, more drug testing would protect them personally from suspicion, which must be a good thing.

Clearly pointing fingers at individuals would be wrong in a public forum without evidence, but there are certain players whose names come up time and time again as "suspicious". In general there seems to be more of a Spanish and South American flavour to these rumours, including household names, and the current trial in Spain re Operacion Puerta is interesting because the authorities there have refused to allow the names of the non-cycling sporting professionals implicated to be released, albeit confirming there are well-known football stars and tennis stars on the client list of the Spanish doctor on trial. There's lots of noise in Belgium too, with Olivier Rochus being very vocal, and long-standing questions about one of their better known players. Just google it.

All of which means the more testing the better. If certain players start to lose their way in the rankings inexplicably or retire "through injury" suddenly - it's better for the game that this happens. Sad but true.

Count Zero · Tennis legend

they definitely need to take this more seriously, the news coming out of Oz is alarming as i always perceived them as a nation that took sport and 'fairplay' seriously.

it feels naive to think in tennis it isn't going on, esp when you see how little out of competition testing actually happens, and for players who are genuinely 100% clean, they want to know that it is a level playing field.

PaulM · Tennis legend

There have been rumours about a top player "doing an Agassi" for a while. Whether the recent press comments by other top players is just a coincidence, well I couldn't possibly comment.

EDIT - I must add I think the rumours are nonsense, if there is a drug problem in tennis I don't think its at the top, but they are there.

-- Edited by PaulM on Tuesday 12th of February 2013 11:55:33 AM

korriban · Challenger level

I realise that doping has been in the press recently because of the recent Lance Armstrong revelations. But that was a few weeks back now, and many tennis players made general comments on the topic at the time. What I have found very interesting is that Murray specifically chose last weekend to make his biggest call to date for a step change in drug testing in tennis, and specifically calling for the full list of athletes in the Operation Puerto court case in Spain to be released, not just cyclists. Now Federer has chosen this weekend to make his biggest plea for the same thing, and also to ask for blood and urine to be stored and retrospectively tested, including the re-testing of old samples with new tests that might be developed. In the context of the other big news story in tennis last week, this timing might be considered either very pointed, or extremely harsh and ill-spirited, depending on your perspective on the matter. Or just a coincidence.

Spectator · All-time great

Might the timing not be related to the fact that Dr Fuentes went on trial at the end of January? And that the Australians released their revelations at the beginning of February? And might it not be worth mentioning that Rafael Nadal has joined the list of those calling for increased testing and the release of all names relating to the Fuentes case?

korriban · Challenger level

The Spanish authorities have made it crystal clear, almost aggressively so, that a pre-requisite for this trial to go ahead is that it cannot and must not have a span of discussion beyond cycling, that the names of non-cyclists WILL not be released, and I believe that the blood samples are to be destroyed after the trial is concluded. From the outside in, this position seems bizarre and most commentators have concluded that such a stance can only be explained by a desire to protect Spanish sport, famous sport stars, a number of global sporting bodies (IOC, FIFA, ITF) or perhaps a mixture of all of the above. It is great that Andy, Roger and Rafa are all asking for these names to be released, but all 3 of them will know that this WILL not happen, given the ever more strident position of the Spanish authorities in the face of international pressure. But it can't do any harm to keep this strange situation in the public eye, so well done to all 3.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Relevant to the US college thread too but better in a general drugs problem thread, I thougt:

www.dawgnation.com/mens-tennis/uga-tennis-investigation-results-in-felony-charges-against-former-assistant-coachs-son

Oakland2002 · All-time great

I am looking forward to the documentary "Icarus" due to be released this week on Netflix. Very good review in the ?Gruniard on Monday, reveals what it took to crack systematic Russian doping in athletics! A cynic with a type writer allied to a Russian with a conscience?

Vandenburg · Futures level

A body like a body builder and going bald before 30(classic steroid side effect)....................not mentioning the player.

Oakland2002 · All-time great

Ah, but also associated with virility! A friend of mine a GP who hasn't had a hair on his head since the age of twenty maintains he has never prescribed Vigra to a bald bloke.

Unfortunately any association is spurious and both the muscular frame and reseeding hairline given their relative incidence across the general male population are genetic. Now women, high levels of androgens and insensitive receptors is an altogether more interesting ethical dilemma.