The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) has confirmed that Felipe Hernandez, a 22-year-old Chilean tennis player, has been provisionally suspended under Article 7.12.1 of the 2022 Tennis Anti-Doping Programme (TADP). The ITIA sent the player a pre-charge notice of an Anti-Doping Rule Violation on 22 July under Article 2.1 of the Programme (presence of a Prohibited Substance in a Player’s Sample) and Article 2.2 (Use of a Prohibited Substance without a valid TUE), confirming they were provisionally suspended from that date.
Hernandez, who had an ATP Singles ranking of 1179 at the time of the test, provided a sample whilst competing at the WTT M15 in Ecuador in June 2022. Subsequent analysis found that the sample contained Nandrolone and its metabolites, which are prohibited substances listed in the 2022 World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Prohibited List. Adverse Analytical Findings for non-specified substances carry a mandatory provisional suspension. The player was offered the opportunity to request that the B sample was analysed to see if it confirmed the A sample. While provisionally suspended, the player is ineligible to compete in or attend any tennis events authorised, organised or sanctioned by the governing bodies of the sport.
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 2022 TADP.
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Published 09 August 2022 15:00
