Today is Martina Hingis’s 29th birthday and the last day of her two-year drug suspension. Jon Wertheim has an interesting interview with her posted on the Sports Illustrated website. Click here to read it if you haven’t already (yes, she answers the comeback question.)
Here’s what really got to me:
The amount (of cocaine metabolite found in Hingis’s system during Wimbledon, 2007) was so trace that, in marked contrast to Richard Gasquet — who was cleared to return after completing a 2½-month ban in July when an anti-doping panel ruled that he accidentally ingested cocaine by kissing a woman at a nightclub — Hingis was at a loss even to fashion a plausible theory about how she could have tested positive. (In the past few months the British media have reported about trace levels of cocaine turning up everywhere from the Thames River to restroom sinks.) Though circumstantial evidence is just that — circumstantial — it defies logic that a veteran player who had passed upwards of 100 tests, some of them unannounced and out of competition, would dabble with cocaine in conjunction with a Grand Slam, knowing with virtual certainty that she would be tested.
Loading ...Tags: ATP, cocaine, doping, gasquet, Hingis, ITF, WTA
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The whole thing is disgusting. They took away two critical years from someone who could have contributed a LOT to the women's tour, and perhaps added back a few dimensions to the game, and some class.
it's really too bad. they just rushed to judgement on someone who literally played by the rules. i wonder if this means martina cannot be nominated for the tennis hall of fame? nice to know that she still plays tennis, especially w/the juniors.
Marina was screwed, plain and simple. And if this means she can't get elected to the hall, I suggest we take a GTT protest rally to Newport. Fight the power!
good idea. we can also do an international on-line petition if it ever comes down to it.
I'm the first one to admit I don't like Martina (my dislike going back to the time she behaved like a brat against Steffi and beyond) but I genuinely think she got the short end of the bargain. If only the ITF had seen fit to review her case and look into mitigating circumstances, thigs may have been different!
If this was concerning one of the the sisters, I wonder if people would still be generous towards them. Honestly I think not! all former "accusations" would be used again
I really feel for Martina. She was treated very unfairly. She was a great loss to to women's tennis too because she was always interesting to watch.
Whatever her past sins were when she was an immature kid, they're not relevant to the mature adult she now is.
My good friend works in drugs – the clinical trial side of things.
She used to get quite a few surprising positive cocaine tests when ensuring the volunteers were suitable for the trial. Some people would get very offended, especially the middle-aged and the innocent types. The one thing they all had in common was a recent trip to the dentist.
So my friend, who never touches recreational drugs, tested herself after a filling and the appropriate painkillers – i forget exactly what they are unfortunately – but she tested highly positive.
Just a story, there tests weren’t even that stringent as our mutual friends who were also volunteers that took other recreational drugs passed.
Martina was treated terribly, either they were out for her for some reason of she was the victim of Something Has To Be Seen To Be Done. Such a shameful waste of talent.