Here we go again, preying on the lesser ranked players the powers that be send the X Man to solitary confinement for a year not testing positive but missing a test and missing telling his whereabouts twice. It's always the lesser players who get made the example out of. But when they get the positive test of a major star, they accept any lies/excuses without any further questioning. Like when he says he took a drink out of his assistant's soft drink which was spiked with drugs. Or he kissed a girl. or something was contaminated. Yeah sure. Talk about double standards. Jonas Bjorkman said it, he said he's heard of cases where the ITF covered up knowledge about positive tests, he said this which appeared in a 1999 issue of Sports Illustrated. Bjorkman said it, it was documented, and to my knowledge, Bjorkman was never sued by the ITF for defamation or slander. So here we go again, now they will hang Malisse, though he never has tested positive FOR ANYTHING. Who's next? Arguello? Granollers? Coetzee? Kukushkin? Saeda? Reckon we won't ever see a top 10 suspended for one year for missing a test or not disclosing his whereabouts. But who cares anyway? Who cares about the little guy.  

 

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Scoop,  I care about the little guy.  When are they going to wake up and see how unfair they are being to the lessor players.  I do feel they cover up for the top 10 and even if they break rules, they will never be punished.  What is happening to tennis that they do such stupid things.  So many of the lower ranked players get punished severley and do not deserve it.  Hope some one wakes up and starts giving out punishments where they are deserved.

Geez, Scoop. You better be careful what you take at the GNC. I think you may be suspended next at one of your New Jersey 35's tournaments.

Didn't they suspend that low ranked Italian for betting like $20 or $25 on tennis matches? That's pretty incredible too. In a Biofile a few years back a young prospect said a funny player was a former world #1 from his country was a really funny guy - for funniest player encountered - when I asked why, he said he's funny in the locker room the way he talks, having fun, and that he's always betting on all the matches. Kind of like the harmless equivalent of the bets  you Red and Tommyboy make. This was pre-Davydenko, so wonder if this would constitute evidence enough to suspend the former world #1 player for a year?  But I edited the quote out to protect that player. Not that I would tell who it was if the authorities ask if they read this, (not that they would read this or ask), but tennis authorities seem to only care about catching and making examples of low ranked non factor players which is an injustice. 

That a good guy like Malisse will have his career Xed by this is horrible, especially with all the big name players who somehow get away with their positive or allegedly positive tests (Rusedski, Gasquet). Malisse will probably fight this but what will the legal expenses be? Someone has to step up and change his nonsense. Or maybe look into who is profiting, if someone is.  You have to wonder if someone is profiting by this.     

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Unfortunately, it's always the little guys that get screwed.

 

I think that the tennis drug rules and system and enforcements are just messed up. They're either too strict, too loose, or just not properly enforced. And way too many loopholes. Whether it's Agassi, Gasquet, Puerta, Karantacheva, or whoever, is someone paying attention to the excuses everyone sues?

 

It is sad that there are pros out there (and even sadder young juniors probably doing it too) who feel they need to resort the performing enhancing stuff just to win. And for those who do the performing inhibiting stuff, well that's a choice too. Something most will regret later. 

 

I'd like there to be more dialog/discussion/education/awareness about drug use, both in sports and our society at large.

 

Tennis, as a sport and business, always seems to wind up shooting itself in the foot. Whether it's suspensions for petty betting, minor drug offenses by Challenger level players that spark major headlines, or top stars being nailed for drug use, the news almost always seems to be bad.