The International Tennis Federation (ITF) suspended French tennis player Richard Gasquet yesterday following his positive test for cocaine, pending a hearing.
The ITF said an anti-doping tribunal should be assembled within 60 days to hear the case.
Gasquet said he was gathering evidence to prove his innocence, despite both his “A” and “B” samples coming back positive for cocaine.
Traces of the drug were found in the 22-year-old Gasquet’s urine sample at the Sony Ericsson Open, in Key Biscayne, Florida, in March.
“He’s suspended until the end of the hearing,” ITF spokesman Neil Robinson said. “We’re now assembling an anti-doping tribunal. The ideal time frame is within 60 days, but people have to fly in from all over the world for it.”
Gasquet, who has a 14-8 singles record this year, could face a two-year ban if found guilty.
The Frenchman, who was ranked No. 7 in July 2007 but has since slipped to No. 21, has played just five matches since pulling out of the Sony Ericsson Open before his second-round match against Albert Montanes of Spain.
Beziers-born Gasquet cited a right shoulder injury for the withdrawal and has since returned to action in Barcelona and at the Rome Masters, where he lost in the third round to Fernando Verdasco on May 1.
Gasquet, who lost to Roger Federer in the semifinals at Wimbledon in 2007, was considered a future star when he first arrived on tour with a one-handed backhand widely considered among the best in the game.
Martina Hingis was banned for two years early last year after testing positive for cocaine at Wimbledon. The five-time Grand Slam champion and former top-ranked player failed a test after losing to Laura Granville in June 2007.
Hingis, who has since retired, became the second WTA player suspended for cocaine after Lourdes Dominguez Lino of Spain was banned for three months in 2002.
Former top-ranked men’s player Mats Wilander and Karel Novacek had positive tests for cocaine at the 1995 French Open.
That was prior to the introduction of rules to automatically suspend players following a positive second test.
Both continued playing before eventually being banned for three months and ordered to return prize money and forfeit rankings points.
SS Lazio on Monday fired the far-right sympathizer who handles their eagle mascot after he posted online a series of videos and pictures of his erect penis. Falconer Juan Bernabe, who has been present at Lazio home matches with Olimpia the eagle since the 2010-2011 season, posted the footage on social media after having surgery on Saturday to implant a penile prosthesis to improve his sexual performance. Lazio said that they had “terminated, with immediate effect” their relationship with Bernabe “due to the seriousness of his conduct,” adding that they were “shocked” by the images. The Serie A club added that Bernabe’s dismissal
‘TOUGH TO BREATHE’: Tunisian three-time Grand Slam finalist Ons Jabeur suffered an asthma attack in her 7-5, 6-3 victory over Colombia’s Camila Osorio Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei yesterday cruised into the second round of the women’s doubles at the Australian Open, while Iga Swiatek romped into a third-round women’s singles showdown with Emma Raducanu and Taylor Fritz was just as emphatic in his pursuit of a maiden Grand Slam title. Hsieh and Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia, the third seeds, defeated Slovakia’s Tereza Mihalikova and Olivia Nicholls of Britain 7-5, 6-2 in 90 minutes in Melbourne. Ostapenko and Hsieh — who won the women’s doubles and mixed doubles at the Australian Open last year — hit 25 winners and converted five of nine break points to set
Dubbed a “motorway for cyclists” where avid amateurs can chase Tadej Pogacar up mountains teeming with the highest concentration of professional cyclists per square kilometer in the world, Spain’s Costa Blanca has forged a new reputation for itself in the past few years. Long known as the ideal summer destination for those in search of sun, sea and sand, the stretch of coast between Valencia and Alicante now has a winter vocation too. During the season break in December and January, the region experiences an invasion of cyclists. Star names such as three-time Tour de France winner Pogacar, Remco Evenepoel and Julian Alaphilippe
AGING WELL: Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen, 22, was sent packing after being dispatched by world No. 97, Laura Siegemund, the second-oldest player in the draw at 36 Novak Djokovic yesterday created a slice of Grand Slam history on his way into the Australian Open third round, but last year’s women’s finalist Zheng Qinwen was knocked out in the biggest shock so far. Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka, in-form Coco Gauff, two-time Melbourne winner Naomi Osaka and a rampant Carlos Alcaraz were all victors on a rainy day four. Play was suspended on the outside courts for a couple of hours in the early evening because of the wet weather. That led to the rescheduling of a women’s doubles match between wild-cards Tsao Chia-yi of Taiwan and Thailand’s Peangtarn Plipuech and 11th
RSS