By Chiranjit Ojha
June 22 (Reuters) – Former Wimbledon women’s champion Marketa Vondrousova has been given a four-year suspension for refusing an anti-doping test in December, the International Tennis Integrity Agency said on Monday.
Her suspension will end on June 21, 2030, when the two-time Grand Slam finalist from the Czech Republic will be 30 years old.
The ITIA said in a statement that Vondrousova did not submit a sample when notified by a doping control officer during an out-of-competition test attempt at her home at around 8 p.m. on December 3.
Vondrousova said during a hearing that stress, poor mental health and concerns for her safety had affected her decision making when she refused to submit a sample.
However, the tribunal concluded that the evidence offered “no compelling justification” for the test refusal, the ITIA added.
‘NEVER HAD A POSITIVE TEST,’ VONDROUSOVA SAYS
Vondrousova wrote on Instagram that she had never doped, and that a dope test taken three days after the December 3 incident came back negative.
“I have never had a positive test. Throughout my entire career, I have undergone countless anti-doping controls and have always stepped on to the court with a clear conscience,” she wrote.
“Just three days after the incident that ultimately changed my life, I was tested again. The result was negative. Just like every test before it.”
Vondrousova’s lawyer Jan Exner told Reuters by email that they would review the written reasons for Vondrousova’s suspension before deciding their next course of action.
“First, we must consult with Marketa; I do not want to speculate on further steps at this moment,” he added.
Former world number six Vondrousova has not competed since pulling out of the Adelaide International in January due to a shoulder injury.
(Reporting by Chiranjit Ojha in Bengaluru; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne, Alison Williams and Clare Fallon)
