Source : the age
Australia’s dual grand slam doubles tennis champion Max Purcell says he unknowingly received an intravenous infusion of vitamins above the allowable limit that resulted in him being given a “devastating” provisional suspension for breaching his sport’s anti-doping regulations.
Purcell, who is ranked world No.12 in doubles at present, admitted to using a “prohibited method” as defined by the International Tennis Integrity Agency’s (ITIA) Anti-Doping Program.
Max Purcell at the 2024 Australian Open.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen
Although he says he has been transparent with the agency and hopes to return to the tennis court as soon as possible, it is not yet clear how long his suspension will last.
The 26-year-old has accepted a voluntary suspension, which took effect on December 12. This means he is prohibited from playing in, coaching or attending any authorised tennis event.
A statement was released from his Instagram page on Monday night.
“I have voluntarily accepted a provisional suspension since I unknowingly received an IV infusion of vitamins above the allowable limit of 100ml,” the statement said.
“Until last week when I received medical records from a clinic showing that the amount of an IV I had received was above 100ml, I was fully convinced that I had done everything to ensure that I had followed the WADA (the World Anti-Doping Agency) regulations and methods. But the records show that the IV was over that 100ml limit, even though I told the clinic that I was a professional athlete and needed the IV to be below 100ml.
“This news was devastating to me because I pride myself on being an athlete who always makes sure everything is WADA safe.”
In a statement, the ITIA said the matter was ongoing. It did not give any time frame for the suspension.
The ITIA did not release exact details on what Purcell’s breach was, and it is unclear what his next step will be. This masthead contacted Purcell for comment.
Tennis Australia released a statement about the matter on Monday night.
“Max Purcell has admitted to a breach of the Tennis Anti-Doping Programme and entered a voluntary provisional suspension from 12 December,” TA said.
“The International Tennis Integrity Agency confirmed the breach relates to the use of a Prohibited Method, rather than the presence of a prohibited substance. As the matter is currently under investigation, it is inappropriate to comment further at this time.”
Purcell would have likely received a wildcard to next month’s Australian Open, which starts on January 12, but the last of those went to countryman Omar Jasika last week.
His provisional ban became public only four days after little-known Russian tennis player Daniil Savelev accepted a two-year ban for testing positive for prohibited substance meldonium in July this year.
Purcell is an accomplished doubles player, having won the Wimbledon title in 2022 with Matt Ebden and the US Open championship alongside Jordan Thompson this year.
He reached the men’s doubles final at the Australian Open 2022, where he and Ebden lost to Thanasi Kokkinakis and Nick Kyrgios. He also reached the doubles final in 2020 with Luke Saville.
Purcell is now ranked world No.105 in singles, having reached his highest rank of 40 last year. He has made the second round of the Australian, French and US Opens.
Men’s world No.1 Jannik Sinner and five-times major winner Iga Swiatek tested positive in 2024, to respective banned substances clostebol and trimetazidine (TMZ).
Max Purcell (left) and Jordan Thompson after their 2024 US Open win. Credit: AP
Sinner and Swiatek both appealed within 10 days of being informed of their positive tests, meaning the ITIA did not immediately make public their results.
Sinner successfully argued that his “inadvertent” contamination occurred from his then-physiotherapist, Giacomo Naldi, who was using an over-the-counter healing spray called Trofodermin, which contained clostebol, to treat a cut on his finger.
The ITIA announced in August that Sinner was not at fault despite twice testing positive for the anabolic steroid in an eight-day period. However, WADA lodged an appeal in September against the decision and is seeking a ban between one and two years for the Italian.
Swiatek served a one-month ban after the ITIA accepted her defence that the extremely low traces of TMZ found in her system owed to contamination of her Melatonin medication, which she takes to ward off jet lag.
The former women’s world No.1 missed three tournaments during her provisional suspension, which was publicly excused at the time as being for “personal reasons”.
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