The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) has today confirmed that Mariska Venter, a 26 year-old South African wheelchair tennis player, has voluntarily accepted a provisional suspension under Article 7.12.5 of the 2022 Tennis Anti-Doping Programme (TADP, or Programme). The ITIA sent the player a Charge Notice in relation to an Anti-Doping Rule Violation on 8 December 2022 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).
Venter, who currently has an ITF ranking of 36, was tested at a wheelchair tennis event in Belgium in July 2022. The sample was split into an A sample and a B sample and subsequent analysis of the A sample found that it contained metabolites of Sibutramine, which is prohibited under the Programme, in the category of Stimulants (section S6 of the 2022 Prohibited List). Sibutramine is a Specified substance.
The player accepted a provisional suspension, with effect from 13 December 2022, meaning that they are ineligible to compete in or attend any sanctioned tennis events organised by the governing bodies of the sport whilst the matter is dealt with.
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 12 January 2023 10:30
