Agassi claims worry WADA
ANTI-DOPING chiefs have demanded an explanation from tennis authorities after former world No1 Andre Agassi said he was able to lie his way out of a ban for taking crystal meth.
Five-time grand slam winner Agassi, who retired in 2006, recounts in his autobiography how he tested positive for the stimulant in 1997.
However he escaped punishment by writing a letter to the Association of Tennis Professionals in which he falsely claimed the substance, graded class A in Britain, had been slipped into his drink without his knowledge.
Agassi, 39, is unlikely to face retrospective action for his admission, but the case raises questions about the stringency of the ATP’s testing programme – and World Anti-Doping Agency president John Fahey yesterday said he wanted answers. “WADA would expect the ATP, which administered its own anti-doping program at that time, to shed light on this allegation,” Fahey said.
The ATP said it had closed the case long ago, while the International Tennis Federation said the sport’s anti-doping programme was far more stringent now than 12 years ago. A statement read: “Such comments in no way reflect the fact that the Tennis Anti-Doping Programme is currently regarded as one of the most rigorous and comprehensive anti-doping programmes in sport.”
Agassi, who became only the fifth man to win all four grand slams and is one of the game’s most charismatic characters, said his excuse contained “lies interwoven with bits of truth”.
Having avoided a ban that would likely have amounted to three months, the American resurrected his career and climbed back from world No141 to No1.