Abigail Spears Provisionally Suspended by the ITF for Doping Violation
Tennis - American tennis player Abigail Spears has been provisionally suspended by the International Tennis Federation under Article 8.3.1 (c) of the 2019 Tennis Anti-Doping Programme, pending determination of the charge against her at a full hearing pursuant to Article 8 of the Programme.
The 38-year-old Spears provided a urine sample on 31st August 2019 while she was participating in the US Open held in New York this year. The sample was sent to the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) accredited laboratory in Montreal, Canada for analysis was said to have found prasterone (DHEA), testosterone and metabolites. According to the ITF, "Prasterone and testosterone are Non-Specified substances, which are prohibited under category S1 of the 2019 WADA Prohibited List (Anabolic Agents), and therefore are also prohibited under the Programme. Positive tests for Non-Specified Substances carry a mandatory Provisional Suspension."
The press release furhter states, "On 28 October 2019, Ms. Spears was charged with an Anti-Doping Rule Violation under Article 2.1 of the Programme (presence of a Prohibited Substance in a Player’s Sample) and was Provisionally Suspended with effect from 7 November 2019. Ms. Spears had (and retains) the right to apply to the Chair of the Independent Tribunal convened to hear her case why the Provisional Suspension should not be imposed, but has chosen not to exercise that right to date."
38-year-old Spears is currently ranked No. 38 in doubles and has won 21 career doubles title so far. She also won the Australian Open mixed doubles title with Juan Sebastián Cabal in 2017 and has also reached the finals of the 2013 and 2014 US Open mixed doubles event with Santiago Gonzalez.
from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/34GfnmW
No comments