next »

[The Gnome]

Dimi Kutrovsky was done for drugs last year. Ranked around a career-high 300 or 400 something IIRC. Maybe 200's.

Indeed... here's a full list

 Maximilian Abel
 Andre Agassi
 Kristina Antoniychuk

 Karol Beck
 Alex Bogomolov, Jr.

 Guillermo Cañas
 Juan Ignacio Chela
 Guillermo Coria

 Lourdes Domínguez Lino
 Antony Dupuis
 
 Richard Gasquet
 Melle van Gemerden

 Martina Hingis
 Mariano Hood

 Sesil Karatantcheva
 Robert Kendrick
 Petr Korda
 Stefan Koubek
 Dimitar Kutrovsky

 Simon Larose
 
 Marcelo Melo
 Ivo Minář


 Courtney Nagle
 Mark Nielsen
 Karel Nováček

 Wayne Odesnik

 Laura Pous Tió
 Mariano Puerta

 Bohdan Ulihrach

 Filippo Volandri

I recognise 11 of them, the Argentinians sem to be most up for it, but most notably Delpo is not on the list i assume mainly because he can actually play a bit
 

[The Gnome]

That's interesting. I knew about a few of them. When/what did Bogomolov do?

According to wikipedia:

In 2005, he was suspended for 1.5 months due to a positive doping test during the Australian Open. The banned substance found was salbutamol, which Bogomolov admitted taking through an inhaler to treat exercise-induced asthma. However, he had not filed the proper paperwork and was not covered by an exemption. The tribunal found that there had been no intent to enhance performance by the taking of salbutamol, so the otherwise mandatory two-year ban did not apply. He also had to forfeit prize money and ranking points earned at the Australian Open and other competitions.

[scotnadian]

Not tennis related, but still relevant. :

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/golf/21273128

Vijay Singh says he is angry with himself for using deer antler spray

Former world number one Vijay Singh says he is angry with himself after admitting using a substance banned by golf's anti-drug abuse rules.

An online article by the American magazine Sports Illustrated detailed use of "Deer Antler Spray" by Singh.

The Fijian is now facing a suspension.

In a statement, he said: "I am absolutely shocked that deer antler spray may contain a banned substance and am angry that I have put myself in this position."

According to Section One of the Tour's Anti-Doping Program Manual, a player is strictly liable whenever a prohibited substance is in his body, regardless of the circumstances.

What is "Deer Antler Spray"?
•The spray, being sold by SWATS. (Sports With Alternatives to Steroids), is harvested from the antlers of New Zealand deer.
•Deer antler spray and pills are thought to contain small amounts of deer IGF-1 (Insulin-like Growth Factor-1) - a growth hormone.
•Scientific research has shown that velvet deer antler improves heart strength, stamina, joint health, muscle and strength development plus athletic performance.
•Christopher Key of SWATS was quoted in the SI article saying: "The antlers are the fastest-growing substance on planet Earth... because of the high concentration of IGF-1. We've been able to freeze dry that out, extract it, put it in a sublingual spray that you shake for 20 seconds and then spray three [times] under your tongue. This stuff has been around for almost 1,000 years."

Deer Antler Spray is manufactured by the controversial company Sports with Alternatives to Steroids (SWATS).

In promotional material the firm claims the substance contains IGF-1, a natural anabolic hormone that stimulates muscle growth.

IGF-1 is on golf's banned list.

The sport's drugs policy is in line with the code set out by the World Anti-Doping Agency.

In the SI article Singh, 49, was quoted saying he used the product "every couple of hours... every day."

His statement continued: "While I have used deer antler spray, at no time was I aware that it may contain a substance that is banned under the PGA Tour anti-doping policy.

"In fact, when I first received the product, I reviewed the list of ingredients and did not see any prohibited substances.

"I have been in contact with the PGA Tour and am co-operating fully with their review of this matter. I will not be commenting further at this time."

Former Open Champion Mark Calcavecchia ended his promotional link with the product after being warned by the Tour in 2011.

Singh may now be liable to a suspension from pro golf. Since drug testing was introduced in golf in 2008 only one player has been banned for violating the code.

American journeyman pro Doug Barron received a one-year suspension after failing a drugs test at the St Jude Classic in 2009.

Barron was taking Lyrica as a substitute for propranolol, a banned substance and exogenous testosterone, which he received by an injection from a doctor.

He had been prescribed propranolol since the age 17 but an earlier attempt to gain a medical exemption had been denied by the Tour.

Singh spent 32 weeks as world number one between 2004 and 2005, won the Masters in 2000 and the 1998 and 2004 PGA Championship.

He is due to compete in the Tour event in Phoenix which starts on Thursday

[Elena]

RAFAEL Nadal says athletes implicated in the "Operation Puerto" trial into blood doping must be named.

In an interview with the French sports daily L'Equipe, the Spanish tennis star said he felt his reputation, and that of Spanish sport as a whole, had been tarnished by the trial.

A judge has refused to demand that doctor Eufemiano Fuentes, the suspected mastermind of one of the sporting world's biggest blood doping rackets, provide the names of athletes implicated in the scandal.

The ruling could avert a huge fall-out from the high-profile trial in Madrid but Nadal said that naming names would have been the correct thing to do.

"What is happening in Spain, I don't understand it," he told the magazine.

"I don't understand why Dr Fuentes is not giving names. And I don't understand why the judge has not asked him to do so.

"I don't understand why we never get to the bottom of these things. We need to clean everything up. I believe this doctor has worked with foreign athletes but because he is Spanish it is Spanish sport that is being prejudiced.

"As an athlete that hurts me. Because of people like (US cyclist Lance) Armstrong, we all have a dubious image.

from http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/tennis/rafael-nadal-wants-athletes-implicated-in-operation-puerto-named/story-e6frfgao-1226573101166


and from http://tennis.si.com/2013/02/07/rafael-nadal-operation-puerto-doping-case/

Nadal’s comments echo Andy Murray’s call for the alleged Operation Puerto dopers to be identified.

As for the current “Operation Puerto” trial in Spain, Murray believes it is wrong that the doctor at the centre of the alleged doping ring does not have to name his clients, who include tennis players. “I think it’s essential that the names of whoever was involved with him come out,” Murray said.

He added: “All sports – not just tennis – need to look very closely at this stuff because I think a lot has been learned from what’s happened with the Lance Armstrong situation and you don’t want that happening ever again. And I don’t want that happening for my sport because it would be terrible.”

[tamila]

I have just noticed that the only top four player who has said nothing about this subject is Djokovic.  I was also surprised to read somewere that he had not been tested for 6 months.  Surely that cannot be correct?  The only article I can find is him denying he uses drugs to recover.

[xxdanixx]

Tennis to implement Athlete Biological Passport programme


Tennis will implement an Athlete Biological Passport programme to support the fight against drug cheats.

The programme will collect and compare biological data and spot discrepancies over time that suggest possible doping.

The International Tennis Federation (ITF) currently tests blood and urine.

"We feel that this is the most effective way to show the world that tennis is a clean sport," said Brad Drewett, executive chairman and president of the ATP.

As with the current drug testing rules, the biological passports will not be compulsory but any athlete who refuses to take part in testing could face punishment.

The decision to introduce biological passports comes after the Tennis Anti-Doping Programme Working Group - comprised of representatives from the ITF, ATP, WTA governing bodies and Grand Slam tournaments - gave its backing.

The programme will see more blood tests conducted, particularly out of competition.

"The implementation of the Athlete Biological Passport is an important step in the evolution of the Tennis Anti-Doping Programme as it provides us with a great tool in the fight against doping in our sport," said ITF President Francesco Ricci Bitti.

"We also hope to have increased support from the National Anti-Doping Agencies around the world who need to do their part if we are to win this battle and make our programme more effective.

Questions have been raised by some of the sport's top players in recent months about the drug-testing programme.

Newly released data for 2012  reveals there were 2,185 tests carried out - up slightly from 2,150 in 2011). The vast majority examined urine samples - last year there were 124 in-competition blood tests (110 in 2011) and 63 out of competition (21 in 2011).

World number one Novak Djokovic recently described how the number of blood tests he undergoes has declined.

He said: "I wasn't tested with blood for last six, seven months. It was more regularly in last two, three years ago. I don't know the reason why they stopped it."

Roger Federer and Andy Murray also called  for more testing, with the Swiss claiming he was being tested less than before.

"I feel I'm being less tested now than [I was] six, seven, eight years ago," said Federer.

"I don't know the reasons [why] we are being tested less and I agree with Andy, we don't do a lot of blood testing during the year. I'm OK having more of that."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/tennis/21699175

[xxdanixx]

Tennis and doping- why did players change their tune?


This week’s announcement that tennis is to introduce the athlete biological passport to try to catch more drugs cheats was welcomed in all quarters, a boon for the sport after recent criticism that it had not been doing enough to combat doping.

For a long time, the fact that there have been relatively few (less than 70) “incidences of doping” (the ITF’s words) since the ITF took over the drug-testing in 2004 was held up of an example as to why tennis does not have an issue with drugs.

But the Lance Armstrong case and many others have shown that not failing a drugs test does not necessarily mean that an athlete is clean. It is hoped that the introduction of the passport, already used in cycling and athletics, will help flush out those who are cheating. The budget for the programme, which totalled $2 million in 2012 and is funded by the ITF, ATP Tour, WTA Tour and the four grand slams, is set to rise in 2013, with the slams reportedly agreeing to double their individual contributions to around $500,000.

The passport effectively creates a blood profile for each player, based on a number of blood tests. Rather than testing for specific drugs, any deviations beyond accepted parameters can be indicators of doping and can be used to build a case against athletes. Testers can also then target those players.

The exact details of when the passport will be fully operational (probably several months) and how many players will be tested remains to be seen. But what is really interesting is why the players changed their tune, really in the past year or so, to call for more testing and for the anti-doping process to be stepped up.

Only a few years ago, most of them were complaining about being woken up by testers, often at 6am. The whereabouts rule demands they name a place and an hour every day where they will be, so moaning about it always seemed a bit churlish.

An increase in the number of articles in the media and in the number of journalists, perhaps feeding off Armstrong, taking an interest in the subject, has resulted in the players being asked more and more questions about anti-doping. Perhaps there’s an element of PR in it all, agents telling their players that it would be in their interests to be positive, but whatever it is, Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and Andy Murray were among those calling for more testing, and in particular more blood testing.

In 2012, there were only 187 blood tests conducted by the ITF, in and out of competition, which was an increase from 131 in 2011 but still a woeful number when you think how many tournaments there are. Federer revealed in Indian Wells on Friday that in 2012, he was not tested in Rotterdam, Dubai and Indian Wells, despite winning all three events. “That shouldn’t be OK,” Federer said.

So why have they changed their tune? To his credit, Murray held his hands up this week and admitted he got it wrong. “I would say I was probably a bit naïve, not understanding how much that stuff goes on in sport,” the Scot said. “When you hear about the sort of lengths people were going to, to not fail a drugs test, it was ridiculous. So obviously we had to do more and I think the biological passport is a good step, but there is still more to be done than just that.”

Again to his credit, Murray said he had done some reading up on the passport and said he believed it was a good step, but needed more testing to make it work. “I don’t think we have a culture of it in tennis but stuff can go on,” Murray said. “You need to have everything in place and have everything done properly so that everyone can agree that tennis is doing everything we can. It’s not to say you’ll never get a person cheating or a few people cheating because you get it in all sports, but we need to do more.”

And Federer said he felt the change had come about because the players had made their voices heard. “Obviously the cycling issue has been around for quite some time but this year it was super-extreme,” he said. “I think that really gets you thinking that we have to make sure, ensure, do everything we possibly can. And I think the players got more vocal. I don’t recall the ITF doing anything and talking about it.”

http://www.thetennisspace.com/tennis-and-doping-why-did-players-change-their-tune/