Doping Haunts Tennis World Yet Again as 58-Year-Old Tennis Player Slapped With Ban for Violating Rules

Sports, in general, have some of the most rigorous rules in the world. The rules and regulations of sporting organizations are not something an aspiring player should trifle with. Yet, many try to bend the rules to their will. ‘Doping’ or taking banned drugs in order to enhance performance has plagued the sports world since time immemorial. Recently, in an astounding case, a 58-year-old Korean tennis wheelchair player was caught doping. Kim Kyu-Seung, charged by the ITF, received a ban spanning one year.

It is unclear when wheelchair tennis began, but the sport started gaining popularity in 1976. The first program for this division of tennis was initiated in 1982 in France. As of 2023, wheelchair tennis is also a division in all four grand slams.

Player gets a one-year ban for doping

In a bizarre occurrence, as reported by the West Australian, the ITF has banned a wheelchair tennis player for doping. The sporting committee found Kim Kyu-Seung guilty. They took a blood sample from Kim in November 2021 and found traces of performance-enhancing drugs. When they notified the player, he admitted to the charges right away.

Initially, Kim accepted a voluntary provisional suspension on November 4. However, he violated the suspension by training with his national team. Kim also participated in a match in the same month. He was given a longer ban recently, which goes on for one year. A violation of this ban could lead to graver punishments.

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The International Tennis Federation, responsible for the anti-doping program, started Kim’s suspension on 24th March.

Doping controversies in tennis

Several famous players have fallen into the controversy of doping. One such player was Simona Halep, former world number 1 and two-time grand slam winner. Halep tested positive for banned substance ‘Roxadustat’ and was subsequently handed a whopping four-year ban by the ITAI. However, Halep denied taking the substance willingly.

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She scoured all her substances to find out where she could’ve consumed the substance. Eventually, she found it in one of her supplements and appealed to the ITAI to clear her name.

Maria Sharapova, another WTA great, was also found taking PEDs. Meldonium was detected in her blood. She subsequently received a two-year ban. However, her sentence was reduced to 15 months. The Russian had been taking the drug since 2006 for a lack of magnesium and a family history of diabetes.