World Tennis body goes tough; to amend anti – doping law

With effect from 1 September 2016, the Tennis Anti – Doping Programme (Programme) will be amended.

Specifically, the following underlined text will be added to Article 13.3:

13.3 – “The ITF shall use its reasonable endeavours to ensure that Persons under its control do not publicly identify Players or other Persons whose Samples have resulted in Adverse Analytical Findings or Atypical Findings, or Atypical Passport Findings or Adverse Passport Findings, or are alleged to have committed an Anti – Doping Rule Violation under this Programme, unless and until a Provisional Suspension has been imposed or accepted or an Independent Tribunal has determined that an Anti – Doping Rule Violation has been committed, and/or the Anti – Doping Rule Violation has been admitted…”

What does this mean?

Where a case that arises under the Programme after 1 September 2016 results in a Provisional Suspension, that Provisional Suspension will be publicly announced.

This applies to all Provisional Suspensions, whether mandatory or voluntarily accepted.

Why is this change being made?

The reputation of the Programme and, consequently, the image of tennis, have been damaged by accusations that players have been allowed to serve bans without those bans being made public (so-called ‘silent bans’).

This rule change will prevent any further similar accusations and so protect our sport.

PROVISIONAL SUSPENSIONS Q & A

This document answers some frequently asked questions about the announcement of provisional suspensions.

1. What change is being made?

From 1 September 2016, if a case arising from the Tennis Anti – Doping Programme results in a provisional suspension, then that provisional suspension will be made public.

2. Why is the change being made?

The reputation of the Tennis Anti – Doping Programme and, consequently, of tennis, have been damaged by accusations that players have been allowed to serve bans without those bans being made public (so-called ‘silent bans’). This rule change will prevent any further similar accusations.

3. Does this change apply to all provisional suspensions?

Yes. Provisional suspensions that are mandatory and those that are voluntarily accepted will be made public. For mandatory provisional suspensions, an announcement will only be made at the time the provisional suspension actually comes into effect, so that any challenges to its imposition, which are permitted under the rules, can be made.

4. Will this change reduce the incentive for players to accept voluntary provisional suspensions?

We won’t know until it happens. However, while time spent serving a provisional suspension, whether mandatory or voluntary, can be credited against any ban subsequently imposed, it doesn’t change the length of the ban. So, players are not prejudiced by the change.

5. Is there a risk that a provisional suspension is announced, but the player is exonerated?

Yes, but it is a very small risk, due to the checks and balances in the system. For example, the procedures leading up to, and including, the analysis of the ‘A’ sample are reviewed by independent experts. Also, the ‘B’ sample, which provides confirmation of the findings of the ‘A’ sample, is normally analysed before a provisional suspension is imposed or accepted. For mandatory provisional suspensions, the player concerned is given the opportunity to show why he/she should not be provisionally suspended.

6. Do other sports announce provisional suspensions?

Yes, for example, UCI (cycling).

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