WADA writes to ATP for Agassi probe
Source: Agencies |
November 4, 2009, Wednesday
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Print Edition
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THE World Anti-Doping Agency has asked tennis to investigate Andre Agassi's admission that he took crystal meth in 1997.
WADA director general David Howman would not elaborate on what he wrote in the letter sent to the ATP, but he said he hopes it "would bring a considered response."
"Our task is to protect the clean athletes and to make sure that these sorts of things don't recur," Howman said. "And if we didn't take any steps, somebody would be knocking on our door saying, 'Well, what are you doing about this?'"
Agassi wrote in his soon-to-be-released autobiography "Open" that he ingested crystal meth and then lied to the governing body of men's tennis to avoid a suspension after failing a doping test.
Howman said the letter was specifically addressed to the ATP, but the International Tennis Federation would be made aware of it.
"The ATP can confirm it has received a letter from WADA," the tour said in a statement on Monday.
"When it responds it will do so directly to WADA and not through the media ... The ATP would also like to reiterate its policy of not commenting on anti-doping test results unless and until an anti-doping violation has been found."
Howman has urged the ATP to look more closely into the situation and inform WADA of its findings.
He wants his group to "respond in as responsible fashion as possible by making sure we don't start preaching or teaching before we have all the relevant information. Once we've got the relevant information we can make better judgment calls."
Besides admitting to using crystal meth in the book, Agassi also wrote that he swallowed a pill given to him by his father that may have been the amphetamine speed.
WADA director general David Howman would not elaborate on what he wrote in the letter sent to the ATP, but he said he hopes it "would bring a considered response."
"Our task is to protect the clean athletes and to make sure that these sorts of things don't recur," Howman said. "And if we didn't take any steps, somebody would be knocking on our door saying, 'Well, what are you doing about this?'"
Agassi wrote in his soon-to-be-released autobiography "Open" that he ingested crystal meth and then lied to the governing body of men's tennis to avoid a suspension after failing a doping test.
Howman said the letter was specifically addressed to the ATP, but the International Tennis Federation would be made aware of it.
"The ATP can confirm it has received a letter from WADA," the tour said in a statement on Monday.
"When it responds it will do so directly to WADA and not through the media ... The ATP would also like to reiterate its policy of not commenting on anti-doping test results unless and until an anti-doping violation has been found."
Howman has urged the ATP to look more closely into the situation and inform WADA of its findings.
He wants his group to "respond in as responsible fashion as possible by making sure we don't start preaching or teaching before we have all the relevant information. Once we've got the relevant information we can make better judgment calls."
Besides admitting to using crystal meth in the book, Agassi also wrote that he swallowed a pill given to him by his father that may have been the amphetamine speed.
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