The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) confirmed today that Slovak tennis player Andrej Martin has been banned for a period of 14 months after violating the Tennis Anti-Doping Program (TADP), as determined by an independent Sports Decisions panel.
Reaching his career-high ATP ranking of 93 in February 2020, the 33-year-old Martin was tested under TADP at the Bratislava Open in June 2022. Subsequent analysis of the sample found the presence of SARM S-22, an anabolic. Always a prohibited agent under Section S1.2 (Other Anabolic Substances) of the 2022 WADA Prohibited List. According to TADP, the period of ineligibility for a player’s first violation of this nature is up to four years, unless the player can prove that ADRV was not intentional, then the period of Ineligibility will be up to two years.
On July 22, 2022, ITIA notified Martin that he may have committed Anti-Doping Rule Violations (ADRVs) under TADP Articles 2.1 and/or 2.2, and the player was placed in Temporary Suspension. Martin’s trial took place on March 23, 2023.
The player claimed that he played in a floorball tournament from 3 to 6 June 2022 and that the substance’s presence was due to accidental drinking from a teammate’s identical water bottle during the floorball tournament.
During the trial, Martin’s floorball teammate admitted adding ostarine drops (another name for SARM S-22) to his water bottle. The Independent Tribunal found Martin’s explanation plausible and determined that the player acted without Material Fault or Negligence.
The Independent Tribunal found that Martin did not knowingly swallow the prohibited substance, but could not prove that he was completely No Fault. Under TADP, players are responsible for what they eat, and No Fault is given only in exceptional circumstances.
The court ruled that a 14-month period of Ineligibility was appropriate and all results from Martin’s positive test date would be disqualified.
The period of Ineligibility usually begins on the date the Temporary Suspension is applied. However, Martin, TADP’s 10.14.1. He confessed to violating his Temporary Suspension by participating in a triathlon and multiple floorball tournaments in violation of his Article.
Article 10.14.1 states that players under Temporary Suspension may not participate in any sporting event organized or sanctioned by a WADA signatory, national organization, or the signatory’s member federation or club or member organization.
Therefore, the ban is appointed from the decision of the Independent Court (April 5, 2023) and expires on June 5, 2024.
ends
Thursday, 27 April 2023