Former Australian Tennis No 1 Marinko Matosevic Handed Four-year Ban For Doping Offences

Six weeks aft branding nan International Tennis Integrity Agency “corrupt”, one-time Australian No 1 Marinko Matosevic has been handed a four-year prohibition for aggregate doping offences.

An independent tribunal wished that Matosevic committed 5 anti-doping norm violations betwixt 2018 and 2020, including usage of a prohibited method done humor doping and facilitating different subordinate to humor dope, providing proposal to others connected really to debar affirmative tests, and usage and possession of nan prohibited constituent clenbuterol.

Matosevic denied each charges passim nan process, until admitting to humor doping successful a societal media station soon earlier nan proceeding was scheduled to return place.

The 40-year-old – who reached a career-high No 39 successful nan world successful 2013 earlier turning to coaching – was highly captious of nan ITIA’s investigative practices.

He said he was successful Mexico erstwhile he “stupidly” received a humor transfusion successful 2018, earlier retiring soon afterwards, partly, he said, retired of disgust astatine his actions.

“I americium penning this confession missive firstly to pass different athletes against doing thing that whitethorn harm their wellness and put their lives astatine risk, because location is simply a agelong life aft an athlete’s career,” Matosevic said successful a statement released to Australian tennis website The First Serve past month.

“Secondly, I americium penning this missive to fto nan tennis world cognize really corrupt and cruel nan ITIA process is.

“They return your telephone number nether threatening circumstances and make ineligible cases complete photos and matter connection assumptions that are virtually 5 years old.

“The full process is corrupt and lacks credibility, arsenic we person seen complete nan past fewer years!'’

The tribunal dismissed Matosevic’s allegations arsenic without merit, and said nan ITIA “acted wrong nan authority conferred” by nan Tennis Anti-Doping Protocol (TADP).

On nan charges relating to advising different players, independent tribunal chair Michael Heron KC said Matosevic’s actions “went acold beyond passive relation and represent intentional participation” successful usurpation of nan TADP, and that his “conduct strikes astatine nan integrity of nan anti-doping framework”.

Since retiring successful 2018, Matosevic has coached chap Australians Chris O’Connell and Jordan Thompson.