Andy Roddick, Roger Federer, the Williams sisters and others have responded to Andre Agassi’s “shocking” confession that he used crystal meth and lied to the ATP about it after a drug test came back positive.
UPDATE: Rafael Nadal was less moderate than others in his reaction to Agassi’s confession. He wonders why “now that he is retired, he comes out and says this,” adding, “it’s a way of senselessly damaging the sport.”
“If the ATP covered for Agassi at the time, then I think that’s dreadful,” Nadal, the world No 2, said in Madrid yesterday. “The only thing I can say is that if they covered at that moment for the player and punished others for doing the same kind of thing, then that would seem to me to be a lack of respect for all sportsmen.” (via BBC)
Roger Federer responded today at a press conference with his new sponsor, Lindt, calling Agassi’s confession “a shock”. Quotes via Blick.ch (translated):
“I am disappointed that something like this has happened. I hope that the outing was good for Agassi.”
“With his Foundation, he (Agassi) has generated over 100 million U.S. dollars. This is at the forefront.”
“In the future, such a thing won’t happen. The sport must remain healthy.”
Andy Roddick via Twitter:
“Andre is and always will be my idol. I will judge him on how he has treated me and how he has changed the world for (the) better.”
“To be fair, when Andre wrote the reported letter, he was well outside the top 100 and widely viewed as on the way out.”
Serena Williams gives a classic response in Doha (via Reuters):
“I don’t even know what crystal meth is so, you know, that’s what my reaction to it is. I haven’t read anything about Andre Agassi’s book. All I know is that I have a book coming out.“
And Venus: “His book will probably sell. It seems very interesting, to say the least.”
He may not be a tennis super-star, but I like this reaction from CBS columnist Ray Ratto:
“Hope it’s very therapeutic for him. Hope it causes someone else to walk away from meth, or coke, or Peruvian poisonous toad extract, or whatever else is out there now. We’re not here to kick a guy now that he’s back up, although in fairness we’ve always found honesty to be more refreshing when it doesn’t come at $31.99 a copy.“
Here’s the ATP’s official statement:
“Under the tennis anti-doping programme it is, and has always been, an independent panel that makes a decision on whether a doping violation has been found. The ATP has always followed this rule and no executive at the ATP has therefore had the authority or ability to decide the outcome of an anti-doping matter.“
And Francesco Ricci Bitti, the International Tennis Federation president:
“The ITF is surprised and disappointed by the remarks made by Andre Agassi in his biography admitting substance abuse in 1997. 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. The events in question occurred before the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) was founded in 1999 and during the formative years of anti-doping in tennis when the programme was managed by individual governing bodies.”
What with the drug confessions, memories of an abusive father and stories of hustling around the courts as a kid, this book will definitely be on my nightstand after it comes out in November. Are you buying it?
Loading ...Tags: agassi, ATP, doping, Federer, ITF, Roddick, tennis, Venus, WADA, WTA
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Ah the things people will reveal for book sales.
Love Serena’s comment though lol
In my opinion Mr Agassi should have kept quiet and that some things are better left unsaid. As far as i’m concerned drug testing should be tightened up in all sports and not just tennis.
Federer abuses Milka bars. Confess it Roger!
Pah! He has come out of the sweet closet as a Lindt man now. I imagine him as a bar of ‘Mint Intense’.
Serena’a comment made me guffaw. But how spectacular is the name ‘Ricci Bitti‘!
It’s almost as good as Potito Starace!
Tabby,
I am a devoted Lindt chocolate lover and I would have to say that is the perfect choice of chocolate to describe My Darling Fed!! HEHEHE
Mint…because there’s something refined and sophisticated about minty things, and Intense because he’s is such a focused, passionate player…
I’m going to have to go out and buy a bar right now!
I chose the mint as Fed just keeps on winning; that chocoloate bar makes me keep on eating it. I’d consider Rafa the Orange Intense too.
I am in the process of getting off my bar-a-day Lindt habit.
oh my! serena always has something to say. that was funny. had to comment.
i feel that within the tennis community it isn’t such a shock as to those who casually view or are not diehards.
what do u think?
WOW ! Who’da thought ?
Serena is such a trip. She always makes me smile!
The comment by Serena reflects her charming personality perfectly: “All I know and care about is myself, and I don’t give a @#$% about anyone or anything else!”
Honesty is sometimes grossly overrated.
Read Nadal’s comments to the Spanish press? Dude was angry.
As a good will gesture, I think Andre should donate the proceeds from the book. It probably won’t happen though.
I’m inclined to let him off the hook though. He was one of my faves back in the day and has done so much more for the sport and for the world since the incident 12 years ago.
Thanks for the info, Dootsiez – I updated my post with some quotes. I think it’s interesting that Rafa is less moderate than others. Maybe because he is younger, he is more immune to the Agassi Legend. Or maybe he just holds people to very high standards.
Good idea about the book proceeds – I’m sure in one way or another he’ll give some of his money to charity.
I think Rafa’s point is interesting – that Agassi’s admission is selfish because all it does is damage the sport. It’s not so much what he did but the fact that he admitted it when it’s too late to do anything about it. Personally, I’d rather hear the story than not, and don’t really hold it against Agassi, but I can see why the tennis world and the ATP could be pissed off about it. It’s especially hard for players still dealing with drug testing issues – if Agassi’s book came out earlier this year, would Gasquet have gotten off with just a few months suspension?
I agree Freakyfrites.
Out of all the players’ quotes, I find Rafa’s to be the most straight-forward , the most relevant and the most intelligent.
I think that the fact that the ATP covered for Agassi is the REAL issue here. It is absolutely outrageous. It is disgraceful. They (the ATP) are already trying to distance themselves from this (they released a couple of quotes), but there is absolutely no denying it on their part. The cat is out the bag.
Agassi confessed to using drugs in his book, there is no denying that and so it is pointless to try and defend what he did. But, through all the shock and uproar about his use of Meth, let’s not get distracted from the REAL issue here.
By confessing he also exposed the ATP and exposed their corruption. He in effect opened a can of worms and Rafa seems to be the only one who has grasped this important fact: THE ATP COVERED IT UP.
Andre, by confessing what he has in his book, pulled the covers off the ATP. And Rafa, being the out-spoken individual that he is with a moral fiber and a strong sense of justice, seems to be the only one to notice the significance of this VERY SERIOUS issue and to actually say something about it!
Maybe it is his youth, maybe it is because he’s a “rebel” and isn’t afraid to speak his mind, speak out and stick his neck out. All I know is this: It is way passed a publicity stunt. This is the real deal. Corruption is no joke.
The other players on the ATP are smart. Sometimes it takes a little extra time for the coin to drop. I’m sure they will eventually figure it out. And when that happens, the ATP and The Man will be in a world of hurt. Agassi started the ball rolling and Rafa is already running with it…
It’s crazy that the ATP ever had sole oversight of player drug testing – especially since the ATP is partly owned by the players themselves. I read the full passage from Agassi’s book on The Times website, and it sounds like the procedure at the time was just: “okay, write a note and if the excuse is good enough, we’ll let it go.”
Here’s the excerpt – Agassi’s recreated conversation with an ATP doctor:
“Well, there is a process. You’ll need to write a letter to the ATP, admitting your guilt or declaring your innocence.
Uh huh.
Did you know there was a likelihood that this drug was in your system?
Yes. Yes, I knew.
In that case, you’ll need to explain in your letter how the drug got there.
And then?
Your letter will be reviewed by a panel.
And then?
If you knowingly ingested the drug — if you plead guilty — you’ll be disciplined. ”
So the process was a little like when you were a teenager and you could forge a note from your mother to excuse yourself from class. How rigorous.
For all the bad press WADA has gotten for its strict, almost paranoid, standards and procedures, there’s no doubt that it will help make sure these types of things never happen again. Or am I being naive?
I agree with Mim’s comments.
Mim, I am absolutely sure, the other players also know what Agassi’s statement means regarding the ATP. And they also know what is stake at here, and that it would be wiser not to draw too much attention to it. Just look at the state of cycling, or athletics. If the trust in a sport is broken, it’s nearly impossible to rebuild.
The truth is even the current drug testing system in tennis is not very effective, to put it mindly. For example testing for epo is basically non existent. And call me a cynic, but I think there is a reasion for that.
Rafa is right, of course, but I think he is also very young, and maybe a bit naive, and he doesn’t realize that with this statement he can do more harm than good, IMHO.
Mim, I agree 100% with what you said!
As young as Rafa is, he seems to have the most nerve when it comes to speaking up/out about certain things. And as a top player, it makes it all the more important that he is. I admire him immensely for that.
And it’s funny, because you’d think because he’s young that he’d be the most “naive” and less aware. Apparently NOT the case!
Also, I agree with Cara (thanks for the additional info BTW). Though I’d say that Rafa is more outspoken about things that not only adversely affect him, but also about things that affect OTHERS and that is what makes it all the more impressive…
Sarah, Jess, great points!
Luminita: *smacks a virtual high five!*
The ATP and powers-that-be should NOT be able to get away with this one…
i’ve been thinking about this for 2 days now.
however, this morning i went to rogers website and now all i can think about is roger and chocolate, and tennis in basel on monday.
love andre, hope he keeps educating the youth, hope everyone learns lots of lessons from this, but…….roger, chocolate and basel…. that’s just melted my entire being.
i’m with you on this lorrie. it’s hard to ignore the rog-lindt-basel happiness.
i am surprised at the idea that andre would do it for book sales, given all that he has done for education and children. what he did was wrong (drugs and lying) and it’s very unfair to players like gasquet and hingis who have had their careers and lives seriously altered by questionable drug use. i do hope good things come from this, that the sport remains as clean as possible and that andre continues to help others and be a positive role model, on and off court. even tennis legends are human.
Love Rafa. Right on!
*I’m not Rafa devotee but may becoming one soooooon if he keeps rolling like this.*
I’ve noticed that Rafa seems to be more outspoken about things that adversely affect him.
I disagree that Agassi shouldn’t have said this because it damaged the sport. This is exactly the reason he should have said this.
Tennis has a serious problem with sweeping things they don’t want to hear under the carpet, they have done for years. It is a habit that is ingrained. I do not think that the changes that have gone through in the past few years have done anything to change that. Maybe with Agassi saying something we will finally get some behind the scenes changes which will make things better/fairer for everyone not just the star players.
There’s an article in The Australian
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,26278467-5010361,00.html
SEVEN years after the former chief of the Australian Sports Drug Agency, John Mendoza, was pilloried by the tennis establishment for describing the sport’s drug-testing program as a “dud”, he is able to say I told you so.
Andre Agassi’s revelation this week that he tested positive for methamphetamine in 1997, and lied to tennis authorities about taking the drug to escape suspension, has demonstrated just how weak the sport’s anti-doping system was at the time.
Mendoza was widely condemned by tennis authorities for daring to speak out about his concerns.
He warned in 2002 that tennis officials were living in a “fool’s paradise” if they did not recognise a major problem in their sport.
I so agree with Rafa. The guy is sincere and he doesnt want to kiss anybody’s ass. I really admire him for that. He’s not afraid to say what he really thinks. Bravo Rafa! The others players should learn something from him….
Love this version too
“…we’ve always found honesty to be more refreshing when it doesn’t come at $31.99 a copy.”
COMPLETELY agree w/ Rafa!!
i couldn’t care less about agassi dabbling w/ crystal meth, or him opening up about it…but did he have to shed light on the atp doping charges that were inexplicably dropped. If they had been more strict about the positive test, he may not have had nearly as much success as he ended up having the last few years of his carear. On the heals of serena’s outburst and the whole wozniaki thing, it’s just more bad news for tennis
I guess I should clarify. I definitely do NOT think Agassi should have gotten away with the positive test!!! I think the ATP decision to “sweep it under the rug” is pitiful and sad. But my point is that agassi coming out with it now just makes it worse…almost to say “look what i got away with!!” before going on to win 5 more grand slams where he probably should have gotten to play some or all of them.
Precisely! Think about the hit on Gasquet, Hingis. Nasty!
Speaking of Nasty, did anyone read his quote?
He seemed to imply that this is no shock to him, that he knew that something like that was going on. Plus, he seemed to hint that if more investigations happened that people would be surprised at what we would find out about Pete Sampras….!
Crystal Meth can hardly be described as a “performance enhancing drug”, quite the opposite in fact, so all the fuss seems slightly overdone. Agassi was depressed, so rather than drowning his sorrows in a mountain of booze like so many other people his age would have done, he tried some illegal drugs. Big deal. The drugs certainly wouldn’t have improved his tennis playing and that wasn’t the spirit they were taken in. For the same reason, I didn’t get the jumping on Hingis and Gasquet. Cocaine is going to make you play worse rather than better.
Agassi has done a lot for the sport and I am very fond of him, so I say – leave him be!
Recreational drug (although bad in several social standards, ok for some) is like other sins; people do it — don’t care.
Timing and public confession are the things that bug me.
I agree with the above comments. “He tried some illegal drugs. Big deal.” He’s not a heroin addict! Pot, coke, c-meth…it’s recreational and the guy was feeling down and out. Clearly he’s not addicted and the man is a champ! How many head honchos on the ATP are doing drugs and are addicted to booze and pharmaceuticals? They have so much money and they can afford the best. “Recreational drug (although bad in several social standards, ok for some) is like other sins; people do it.” If you don’t think these people party you’re kidding yourself. I understand there are rules for tennis players as members of the organization. So be it.
It’s his story to tell. Don’t judge him.
Yes it is a big deal. When you are a pro athlete it is especially a big deal. That is, if your aren’t the superstar and the one making the organization money…
The problem here is, if the ATP chooses NOT to make it a big deal, they will. They swept this under the rug and they choose when and when not to enforce the rules.
That is unjust and is the first sign of corruption of a corrupt system.
Like someone above me pointed out, the REAL issue is not that Agassi took drugs, but that the ATP covered for him…
“The REAL issue is not that Agassi took drugs, but that the ATP covered for him…”
Agree. Corruption in sports? Nah. That doesn’t happen does it?
There are two issues. Corruption in sports, and drugs have a negative stigma attached to them. Drugs are bad right? And corruption is worse.
*nods* And to think how they put Reeshard through the ringer the way they did (and still are?) for a speck of coke the that equals to a GRAIN OF SALT! I’d like to here HIS take on all of this actually..
Or how about the way they fine players for “raquet abuse” and “audible obsenity”? Or for skipping a tourney. Not to mention the fascist regime they are employing against the players for drug testing. HA!
The fact that they go overboard with punishing players for things like that…then it comes out that they covered for a player for not only violation the rules, but also breaking the law…the POSSESSION of coke is an easy 5 year sentence…
Boy is the cover blown off the ATP and oh-how ugly the view is!
And to think that there’s all of this bruhaha over Serena…
Racquet abuse always makes me laugh. I feel sorry for the racquets! Fighting in hockey is acceptable but you can’t throw a tennis raquet.
My view is that it all boils down to this…
The ATP have rules in place for obvious reasons (sportsmanlike behaviour, performance enhancing drugs..steroids etc). And organizations with authority have/love to exercise that power and authority and make examples of people. In the case of Agassi, was it corruption or was it a show of mercy? Perhaps the ATP were playing favorites by letting him off and not showing the same consideration to Hingis? Maybe he was the teachers pet. It happens. I think Gasquet was shown a little mercy in the end as well. Unfortunately for Gasquet the news got out into the media and he had to face the negative drug stigma. I’m not condoning drug use, but my reaction to all these people who are aghast that the “rock’n’roll tennis player” tried a recreational drug is, are you really so surprised!? Have another drink, whilst you judge him. It’s not like we’re talking about Dee Dee Ramone here.
Hmm, what about the players he beat as he was using? He confessed to using Meth for “a year or so”. What about the tournaments he won and the opponents he beat?
He wasn’t supposed to be playing because if he told the truth (and the ATP actually gave a damn about following their own rules) then he would’ve been suspended. He wouldn’t have been competing in those tourneys and he wouldn’t have won them.
I doubt that they are going to take away his trophies. Although that punishment is what is usually exercised. I’m more interested in busting the suits that were in charge. The ATP are trying to distance themselves and pretend they don’t know what’s going on, but they are Andre’s partners-in-crime. When are they going to release a statement? I have yet to see anything on the official site.
I don’t think it’s that shocking that he used drugs. It’s shocking that he lied about it. And it’s even MORE shocking that the ATP covered it up. It is most definitely corruption. They didn’t “forgive him” purely out of the goodness of their hearts.
They cannot be allowed to enforce rules arbitrarily. And this particular “rule” isn’t a matter of letting an “audible obscenity” slide…
You are most definitely right when you say that they “love to exercise that power and authority”. Problem is, they only do it when it convenient for them and their interests. They don’t have the players’ best interests at heart. No kidding.
P.S. I don’t drink
Did Agassi take these drugs during the US Open that he went on to win? Doesn’t Meth give you an energy boost when taken at the right amount?
If so, will he be punished for it? Surely it’s too late to actually do anything about it? It’s not like the ATP are going to say: “Well, now that you blew the whistle and exposed us too, we will try to cover up the damage you caused by taking away one of your GS titles.”
Either way, I agree with the general consensus that there should be consequences regarding the ATP’s handling of this. I am sure that they are PISSED. And the idea that Rafa addressed this in his quote after the ATP tried to distance themselves and wash their hands of this is making them even more pissed.
Fight the power, I say! A lack of respect for all sportsmen indeed!
“WADA yesterday confirmed that Agassi can not be penalized for his shock admission given an eight-year statute of limitations that prevents the body from prosecuting the former world No1.”
He timed his confession perfectly.
“Anti-doping body demands explanation over Andre Agassi drug test”:
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,26278463-5010361,00.html
Andre is safe from punishment. But will heads roll on the side of the ATP?
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Yet another confirmation of moral fibre from Rafa. Nothing to do with rebellion, youth or other stuff. He’s a passionate, strong person with high standards for himself and others.
Who’s now to say Rafa is excessively diplomatic and always trying to say the right thing?
I actually wonder if Rafa isn’t so angry about this exactly because Agassi was one of those myths he looked up to as a youngster?
FF, love your blog: so many intelligent people for an intelligent discussion here! Even when I disagree. Thouroughly enjoy being here.
Oh Serena, you egotistical fool.
You don’t know what crystal meth is? Really? Are you that dumb to have not seen or heard about one of the most widely reported drugs? Have you gone to school? No? Well I hear Andre Agassi has an incredible Preparatory Academy in Los Angeles that gives underpriveleged children chances that they may have never had otherwise. Then again, you may not be able to get into that school.
go here for some original thoughts on agassi – http://hesaidandshesaid.wordpress.com/tag/agassi/