Courtesy: Google
Max Purcell, the Australian tennis player, who is a two-time Grand Slam men’s doubles champion, has been provisionally suspended from the sport after admitting to breaching the anti-doping rules. In his first comments after receiving the provisional suspension ,the 26-year-old, who has won the Australian and US Open in recent times, remarked that this was devastating news to him because he prides himself of being a WADA safe professional athlete.
Notably, Max Purcell took a voluntary suspension from tennis after breaking World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) rules in relation to the “use of a prohibited method”, which would mean that he misses out on playing in his home Grand Slam early next year. As per the report from BBC Sport, the Australian spoke about how he had unknowingly received an intravenous infusion of vitamins over the limit allowed as per the rules of WADA.
Max Purcell alerted ITIA about doping breach after learning about his medical records
When Max Purcell learnt about the situation in his medical records last week, he sounded an alert to the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) about it since they are required to enforce the WADA rules in the sport. In his statement about the matter, Max Purcell said, “This news was devastating to me because I pride myself on being an athlete who always makes sure everything is WADA safe. I volunteered the information to the ITIA and have been as transparent as possible to put this issue behind me.”
While the ITIA didn’t give a detail about the length of Max Purcell’s ban, it was made effective from December 12, and because of that, he will not be playing, coaching, or attending any tennis event. The ITIA, who have already charged Iga Swiatek and Jannik Sinner for doping violations this year, released a statement about the Australian player, which read, “Time served under provisional suspension will be credited against any future sanction.”
