[Galinastva]

omess already posted this in the Bali thread, but it deserves its own:


Tennis: US Open semi-finalist Wickmayer, Malisse handed doping bans
Posted: 06 November 2009 0422 hrs
Photos 1 of 1
Yanina Wickmayer
BRUSSELS : US Open semi-finalist Yanina Wickmayer and her Belgian compatriot Xavier Malisse were on Thursday handed one-year bans for falling foul of doping regulations, the Belga news agency reported.

Wickmayer, the world number 18, was suspended by the Flemish Doping Tribunal (VDT) for failing to fulfil the controversial "whereabouts rule" while Malisse was also punished for missing a drugs test.

Both players can appeal their suspensions to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

The suspension was announced despite 20-year-old Wickmayer currently playing in the Tournament of Champions event in Bali where on Friday she would be attempting to reach the semi-finals.

Wickmayer was accused of failing on three occasions to fulfil the ADAMS (Anti-Doping Administration and Management System) under which athletes are obliged to tell national anti-doping authorities where they will be at a chosen hour each day for a three-month period.

The sanctions came as a surprise - only last month, it was expected that the two players would escape with just a reprimand.

Malisse, 29, is currently 95 in the world, having been at 19 in 2002. He has won three titles in his career.

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_sports/view/1016309/1/.html

[CorpoRasion]

Isn't a 1-year suspension just a tad bit harsh?

And does this mean that Wickmayer is done in Bali?

[Galinastva]

This is rather stunning, given that, as the article said, it was initially expected to only result in a reprimand. The initial report (http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/ten...ory?id=4586374) said that she failed to report her whereabouts three times. I wonder if she received any warning/notification after the first time, or did they just assume that missing three times in one period was enough that the player had to take responsibility for it.

The article that omess posted in the Bali thread indicated that she was appealing immediately. I don't know whether that would allow her to continue playing in Bali.

[sandracuk]

How I hate this kind of beaurocratic bullshit. A year long suspension and she wasn't even doping? 50% chance or greater that this will kill her career just as it was starting to take off.

[botagozzz]

This is ridiculous.

It's like giving someone jail time for a $20 parking violation.

[Symnunidanimb]

It is way to harsh. Are they trying to prove something this year with all this suspending crap?

[Kiliunjubl]

What a load of BS. I'm actually of a mind to send a letter of protest. Hopefully the CAS will anihilate the Flemish verdict.

[gariharrr]

If I recall, Wickmayer argued that she tried but couldn't log into the system


Why is this ruled in a regional (?) court in Belgium, anyway?

[zzbust]

What a load of BS. I'm actually of a mind to send a letter of protest. Hopefully the CAS will anihilate the Flemish verdict.

Every tennis fan should do that.

[PyncGyncliacy]

This is disgusting!!! They are trying to make examples out of her and she hasn't even tested positive. This court should be ashamed of themselves

[Numbiydq]

That is SO overkill - the punishment FAR outweighs the "crime" - - -

[peemovvie]

This is so laughable. Gasquet tests positive for not only a banned substance, but an illegal one, and is back in a few months. Yani misses bedcheck, and gets a year?

[CIAFreeAgent]

Such utter bullsh*t.

My OCD-dom is not motivatin' me to do this.....but, if anyone else wants to find out where we can e-mail in protest letters, even as a group.....

[Adimonnna]

This is so laughable. Gasquet tests positive for not only a banned substance, but an illegal one, and is back in a few months. Yani misses bedcheck, and gets a year?

Well, you can't compare. Gasquet got his suspension reduced after his appeal and he is not out of the wood yet.

[addyta.org]

This is so laughable. Gasquet tests positive for not only a banned substance, but an illegal one, and is back in a few months. Yani misses bedcheck, and gets a year?

Thanks to Andre's revelation last week, the Belgian anti-doping people did not want to be embarrassed if they would have just warned her as reported a few weeks prior.

[Nurba]

Thanks to Andre's revelation last week, the Belgian anti-doping people did not want to be embarrassed if they would have just warned her as reported a few weeks prior.

Stop blaming everything on Andre!!!!!

TA

[enencephoth]

Does anyone know of a petition to protest this egregious ruling?

[Alliopeti]

Stop blaming everything on Andre!!!!!

TA

Thank you TA. I just saw this. It's now 1 p.m. my time. Yesterday at 4 p.m. I said to myself, I wonder how long it will take for people to start blaming this on Agassi. Less than 24 hours.

[addyta.org]

Stop blaming everything on Andre!!!!!

TA

I'm sorry but that is what crossed my mind after hearing that Yanina(and maybe Xavier) was going to get only a warning from the Belgian anti-doping people a few weeks prior. I know that Yanina did not help herself by missing 3 tests which in most places are considered a failed drug test.

[ExpodoDop]

Decision in the case of Xavier Malisse


The International Tennis Federation announced today that Xavier Malisse has been found to have committed an Anti-Doping Rule Violation.

The Vlaams Doping Tribunal (VDT) has ruled that Mr Malisse, a 29-year old tennis player from Belgium, has committed an Anti-Doping Rule Violation under Article 2.4 of the 2009 WADA Code (violation of Athlete Availability for Out-of-Competition Testing). As a member of the Flanders (Belgium) Registered Testing Pool, Mr Malisse was required to provide whereabouts in accordance with the mandatory requirements of the 2009 WADA Code. The VDT determined that Mr Malisse committed three Whereabouts Failures – comprising two Filing Failures and one Missed Test – in 2009. The commission of three Whereabouts Failures in any 18-month period is an Anti-Doping Rule Violation under the 2009 WADA Code.

VDT confirmed the commission of an Anti-Doping Rule Violation and determined that Mr Malisse should be suspended for one year, commencing on 5 November 2009 and ending on 4 November 2010. National Anti-Doping Organisation (NADO) Flanders, on whose behalf VDT heard the case, is a signatory to the WADA Code, and in accordance with Article Q.1 of the Tennis Anti-Doping Programme, the ITF (and, therefore, its member National Associations) recognises and respects the decision of VDT, and shall take all steps necessary to enforce and give effect to it.

The Tennis Anti-Doping Programme is a comprehensive and internationally recognised drug-testing programme that applies to all players competing at tournaments sanctioned by the ITF, ATP World Tour, and Sony Ericsson WTA Tour. Players are tested for substances prohibited by the World Anti-Doping Agency and upon a finding that a Doping Offence has been committed, sanctions are imposed in accordance with the requirements of the World Anti-Doping Code. More background information on the Programme, sanctions, tennis statistics and related information can be found at www.itftennis.com/antidoping.

- ENDS -