The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) has today confirmed that Stefano Battaglino, a 24-year-old Italian tennis player, has been provisionally suspended under Article 7.12.1 of the Tennis Anti-Doping Programme (TADP). The ITIA sent the player a pre-Charge Notice of an Anti-Doping Rule Violation on 1 February 2023 under Article 2.1 of the Programme (presence of a Prohibited Substance in a Player’s Sample) and/or Article 2.2 (Use of a Prohibited Substance without a valid TUE).
Battaglino, who has a highest ATP doubles ranking of 670, provided urine samples whilst competing at a World Tennis Tour M15 event in Casablanca, Morocco in September 2022. The sample was split into A and B samples and the subsequent analysis of the A sample found that it contained Clostebol metabolites, which is a prohibited substance in the category of Anabolic Agents in the World Anti-Doping Agency prohibited list. The player exercised their right to have the B sample analysed, which confirmed this finding.
Adverse Analytical Findings for non-Specified Substances carry a mandatory provisional suspension and as such from 1 February 2023, Battaglino is ineligible to compete in or attend any sanctioned tennis events organised by the governing bodies of the sport, pending the resolution of the case.
The ITIA is the delegated third party, under the World Anti-Doping Code of the International Tennis Federation, the international governing body for the sport of tennis and signatory of the Code. The ITIA is responsible for the management and administration of anti-doping across professional tennis in accordance with the TADP.
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Published 15 February 2023 15:15
