Drug Testing in Tennis

Tennis has been criticized many times for failing to test players for drugs as seriously as they do in most other sports. In the US Anti-Doping Agency’s latest report, “while athletics was able to boast of 496 tests (392 out of competition, 104 in competition), tennis could only respond with 19 (all out of competition). From a list of different sports, tennis contributed to just 19 of the 1,919 tests. To put that figure into contest, less high profile sports such as curling could report 35 tests and luge 25.”

Even the well-known Roger Federer is calling for much more drug testing in tennis. While he stated that overall he trusts the system, in response to the recent debate about drug testing in tennis, he remarked that there’s no excuse for not providing a blood sample.

Many tennis athletes are offering their views on the topic after Viktor Troick’s 18-month ban for failing to provide blood being reduced to a year by the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Federer adds to the debate, “I just feel like we’re not getting tested enough. I just feel like I used to get tested more. I think I was tested 25 times in 2003, 2004. Ever since, it’s clearly been going down.”

In the Troick case, though the court deemed that his “fault was not significant,” the decision has left many tennis stars worried about the system. At Scarborough East Tennis, we’ve been following this story closely and we want to hear what you think. Join the conversation on our Facebook page today. And, to learn more about private or group lessons, clinics, or any of the other programs at SE Tennis Club, visit our website.