The ITF has released its statement, clearing the return of Xavier Malise and Yanina Wickmayer to the pro tour. Here’s the full statement from the ITF website (click here):

“Following the appeal by Belgian tennis players Xavier Malisse and Yanina Wickmayer against the suspensions imposed on them by the Doping Tribunal of the Flemish National Anti-Doping Organisation (NADO Flanders) for the commission of three whereabouts failures in an eighteen-month period, a Belgian civil court has ordered NADO Flanders that the suspensions be lifted pending further appeal. As a signatory to the WADA Code, the ITF is required (under article 15.4 of the Code) to give wider recognition to decisions within the authority of other signatories. NADO Flanders is also a signatory to the Code, and accordingly the ITF has removed both Mr Malisse and Ms Wickmayer from the list of suspended players, and both are eligible to participate with immediate effect.”

Of course this isn’t the end of the saga. The Press Association reports that “(t)he pair’s reprieve could only be temporary, however, with CAS (Court of Arbitration for Sport) also set to consider an appeal from WADA that the one-year bans were too lenient.”

Tags: doping, ITF, Malisse, tennis, Wickmayer
 Print |  Email | | Share