Tennis rocked by another anti-doping breach as doubles champion accepts suspension

Two-time expansive slam doubles victor Max Purcell has been provisionally suspended for violating tennis’ anti-doping rules.

The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) announced the punishment successful a connection connected Monday.

The 26-year-old Australian accepted the suspension, admitting to violating Article 2.2 of the Tennis Anti-Doping Program “relating to the usage of a Prohibited Method”, pinch the suspension effective arsenic of December 12.

The ITIA did not specify the magnitude of clip of the voluntary suspension would apply.

“During the provisional suspension, Purcell is prohibited from playing in, coaching at, aliases attending immoderate tennis arena authorised aliases sanctioned by the members of the ITIA (ATP, ITF, WTA, Tennis Australia, Federation Francaise de Tennis, Wimbledon and USTA) aliases immoderate nationalist association,” the ITIA connection read.

Purcell won Wimbledon successful 2022 alongside Matthew Ebden and the 2024 US Open alongside Jordan Thompson.

Tennis Australia said the ITIA confirmed the breach related to the usage of a prohibited method alternatively than the beingness of a prohibited substance.

“As the matter is presently nether investigation, it is inappropriate to remark further astatine this time,” it added.

Purcell is the latest expansive slam champion to person lawsuit opened by the ITIA, an independent organisation established by the governing bodies of the athletics to safeguard its integrity.

The agency said past period that French Open champion Iga Swiatek had accepted a one-month suspension aft testing affirmative for the banned constituent trimetazidine pursuing contamination of her slumber medication.

World number 1 Jannik Sinner had been cleared of wrongdoing aft 2 grounded tests successful March for the anabolic supplier clostebol but faces a prohibition of up to 2 years aft an entreaty by the World Anti-Doping Agency.

Both players will beryllium successful action successful the Australian Open, which originates connected Jan. 12