High-profile doping cases shook world tennis several times in 2024. First was Jannik Sinnerwho was acquitted after explaining that his positive result was a result of carelessness on the part of his team and became involved in controversy. Then, the one of Iga Swiatekwho was punished with a month off the court after proving that she ingested a prohibited substance by mistake. And now, the double player Max Purcellcurrent champion of US Open in that specialty. Although the Australian’s case has a peculiarity: it was the player himself who alerted the International Tennis Integrity Agency of his “violation” of the rules and requested a provisional suspension, which came into effect eleven days ago, as he and the ITIA itself assured.
“Purcell, 26, currently number 12 in the world in doubles, admitted having violated article 2.2 of the Tennis Anti-Doping Program, relating to the use of a prohibited method, and requested to enter a provisional suspension on December 10, 2024. The suspension “came into effect on December 12, 2024, and the time served under provisional suspension will be credited against any future sanctions,” the Agency announced in a brief statement released this Monday.
A while later, it was the Australian himself who disclosed more details about his case through his social networks.
“As announced by the ITIA, I have voluntarily accepted a provisional suspension since I unknowingly received an intravenous infusion of vitamins above the permitted limit of 100 ml,” Purcell began his story.
“Until last week, when I received medical records from a clinic showing that the amount I had received was over 100 ml, I was fully convinced that I had done everything I could to ensure that I had followed the clinic’s rules and methods. World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). “But the records showed that the IV exceeded that limit, even though I had told the medical clinic that I was a professional athlete and that I needed it to be below that dose,” he continued.
And he closed: “This news was devastating for me because I pride myself on being an athlete who always makes sure everything is safe for WADA. I voluntarily communicated this information to the ITIA and have been as transparent as possible to try to put all this behind me. situation. I hope to return to the slopes soon.
Purcell’s situation is different from those of Sinner and Swiatek not only because it was he himself who notified the ITIA, which may play in his favor in the outcome of the story. The cases of the Italian, winner this year in Australia and in Flushing Meadows and number one in the world, and Swiatek, champion in Roland GarrosOlympic bronze in Paris 2024 and second in the ranking (she was first when the control failed), involved the consumption of prohibited substances. The Australian’s is a violation for use of a prohibited method, at least with the information that has been disclosed so far.
That article 2.2 that the oceanic admitted to having violated speaks of a form of “Chemical and physical manipulation”more specifically “intravenous infusions and/or injections of more than a total of 100 ml in a 12-hour period, with the exception of those legitimately received during hospital treatment, surgical intervention or clinical diagnostic investigations.”
We will have to wait for the ITIA to carry out its investigation to find out more details – for example, if the “vitamins” he received through the route were legal for the Anti-Doping Program – and what the final punishment for Purcell will be.
The Australian will surely miss the tour that will open the season in his country, which will launch with the United Cup this Friday and will close with the first Grand Slam on the calendar, from January 12 to 26.
Purcell lifted four doubles trophies this year, all with his compatriot Jordan Thompson, number three in the world in that specialty. The duo celebrated in dallas, Los Cabos, Houston and the US OpenMax’s second Major after Wimbledon 2022. And he also played the final in the All England.
The Sydney native, ranked 105th in the individual ranking, also played in the first singles final of his career. It was on the grass Eastbournewhere he started in qualifying and ended up losing the title to the American Taylor Fritz.