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.

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.

I would really appreciate it if you checked out my tennis blog, http://serveandreturn.blogspot.com/. It includes constant results, off-court gossip and tennis fashion 24/7.

Thanks!

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?

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

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.

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….!

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…

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.

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…

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!

It’s his story to tell. Don’t judge him.

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 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.

I am in the process of getting off my bar-a-day Lindt habit.

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.

Timing and public confession are the things that bug me.

Agassi has done a lot for the sport and I am very fond of him, so I say – leave him be!