Former Wimbledon finalist Nick Kyrgios has been provisionally suspended from professional tennis after testing positive for cocaine, with the Australian admitting he made a “huge mistake” and taking responsibility for his actions.
The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) announced on Wednesday that the 31-year-old had tested positive for benzoylecgonine, a metabolite of cocaine, following a sample collected during an ATP 250 tournament in Mallorca in June.
A World Anti-Doping Agency-accredited laboratory confirmed the presence of the prohibited substance on July 17, and Kyrgios has been provisionally suspended since August 4.
Kyrgios acknowledged the positive test in a statement on Instagram, apologising to his family, supporters, sponsors and those close to him.
“I made a huge mistake and I take full responsibility for it,” he said, adding that he was particularly sorry about the example his actions could set for younger fans.
Cocaine is classified by WADA as both a stimulant and a substance of abuse and is prohibited during competition under tennis anti-doping regulations.
While making clear that he was not offering an excuse for the positive test, Kyrgios spoke about the physical and psychological impact of persistent injuries during the latter stages of his career.
The Australian said his body had increasingly been unable to meet his expectations and that accepting the possibility that his professional career was approaching its end had been particularly difficult.
Kyrgios, who reached a career-high world ranking of No. 13, enjoyed his best Grand Slam result when he reached the Wimbledon final. His provisional suspension will remain in place while the anti-doping process continues.