Ankara: Australian tennis player Nick Kyrgios has been provisionally suspended after testing positive for a bodily remnant of cocaine, the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) announced Wednesday. Kyrgios, 31, provided a sample during an ATP 250 tournament in Mallorca, Spain, on June 22, according to an ITIA statement.
According to Anadolu Agency, a World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA)-accredited laboratory confirmed on July 17 that the sample contained benzoylecgonine, a metabolite of cocaine. Cocaine is classified as a stimulant and substance of abuse on WADA's Prohibited List and is banned during competition under the Tennis Anti-Doping Program. Reduced sanctions can apply when its use is determined to have occurred outside competition. The ITIA stated that a provisional suspension was mandatory due to the nature of the substance and has been in effect since August 4.
Kyrgios has the right to appeal the suspension but had not done so as of Wednesday, the agency noted. During the suspension, he is barred from playing, coaching at, or attending events organized or sanctioned by the ATP, WTA, Grand Slam tournaments, World Tennis, or national tennis associations.
In a statement posted on Instagram, Kyrgios admitted, "I recently failed a drug test in Mallorca after testing positive for cocaine. I made a huge mistake and I take full responsibility for it." He expressed his apologies to his fans, family, sponsors, and young followers, acknowledging he was "deeply disappointed" in himself.
Kyrgios revealed that years of injuries had taken a toll on his physical and mental health, and coming to terms with nearing the end of his career had been challenging, though he emphasized that this did not excuse his actions. He described the positive test as a "wake-up call" and announced he would step away from social media and public life for 28 days to focus on his recovery.
Kyrgios achieved a career-high singles ranking of world No. 13 in October 2016 and reached the Wimbledon final in 2022, where he lost to Novak Djokovic. However, injuries to his knee and wrist have significantly limited his participation in recent seasons. He played only four singles matches this year and most recently competed in the Wimbledon men's doubles event alongside Alexander Bublik, with the pair losing in the opening round.