By admin 
BRISBANE:
Nick Kyrgios on Saturday lashed out at what he said was the lenient treatment of world number one Italian Jannik Sinner for a failed drugs test, saying the integrity in the sport was “appalling”.
Sinner tested positive twice for the banned steroid clostebol in March.
However, the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) accepted his argument that the steroid entered his system as a result of contamination by his physiotherapist and decided not to suspend him.
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) subsequently appealed the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, with an award pending.
Kyrgios has been scathing about the ITIA decision in the past and showed no hesitation during a press conference ahead of his return to action at the Brisbane International after an 18-month injury layoff.
“The tennis integrity at the moment, and everyone knows it, but no one wants to talk about it – it’s terrible,” the Australian said.
“It’s actually terrible and it’s not okay. I know people don’t like it when I just speak out about things, be honest about things.
“For a kid who grew up playing tennis, I enjoyed the competition, I enjoyed playing.
“I can get emotional, I can throw a racket, but that’s nothing compared to cheating and taking performance-enhancing drugs.”
Asked whether he accused Sinner of cheating, Kyrgios told journalists to look at the facts.
“He also failed two doping tests at different times,” Kyrgios said.
“It wasn’t one after the other, it was a different time frame, so I mean, if you think that’s the way it got into his system, if you think that’s how it happened.
“But I mean, if he didn’t do anything wrong, why did they take away his prize money and points? Apparently they found something wrong with it.”
With former women’s world number one Iga Swiatek also banned in 2024 for a doping violation, Kyrgios said the sport’s image was being tarnished.
“I just think it’s being handled horribly in our sport,” he said.
The ITIA accepted that Swiatek’s offense was not intentional and she was only given a one-month ban.
“Two number ones in the world who are both fined for doping is disgusting for our sport. It is a terrible sight,” said Kyrgios, who has been out of the sport since suffering knee and wrist injuries at the 2022 US Open.
Kyrgios has undergone wrist reconstruction and said that while it was a success, he was unsure how the wrist would handle tournament play.
“I’m just not going to take anything for granted,” he said.
“I go there and play. It literally becomes a symptomatic injury that will progress day by day.
“If I play a long game, jam it the right way, who knows how the game will go the next day. That’s the type of injury.”
Kyrgios’ comeback begins against rising French star Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard.
Purcell doping case ‘a joke’
Jordan Thompson on Saturday called doubles partner Max Purcell’s provisional ban for breaching anti-doping rules “a joke” and said he was devastated for his compatriot.
Two-time Grand Slam doubles champion Purcell said during the week that he had “unknowingly received an IV infusion of vitamins above the permitted limit of 100ml”.
The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) said Purcell “requested a provisional suspension on December 10.”
Under the ban, the 26-year-old will not be allowed to play a tennis event, meaning he will miss the Australian Open in January, where he was due to partner Thompson.
The pair won the US Open this year.
“After we won the US Open we were like, yeah, let’s go for our home Slam. Now that’s not going to happen,” Thompson said ahead of the Brisbane International.
‘It’s a bonding thing. I mean, the guy took too much salt water in an IV bag in Bali, I think. He was unwell. That’s why he went there. He went to the hospital.
“I don’t have any good words for it. It’s a joke.
“I mean, guys test positive, performance enhancers, he went outside and drank too much salt water, they suspended him,” he added. AFP