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TORONTO, ON – AUGUST 8: Andy Murray of Great Britain reacts against Lorenzo Sonego of Italy during Day Two of the National Bank Open, part of the Hologic ATP Tour, at Sobeys Stadium on August 8, 2023 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images)
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TORONTO, ON – AUGUST 8: Andy Murray of Great Britain reacts against Lorenzo Sonego of Italy during Day Two of the National Bank Open, part of the Hologic ATP Tour, at Sobeys Stadium on August 8, 2023 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images)
The clock ticked, and the tester waited patiently, clipboard in his hand, his patience thinning by the seconds. Andy Murray had been through countless doping tests, but this? This was a sheer nightmare folding in real-time. He faced an urgency and it was not even his fault, yet it left him quite scared. Now that Jannik Sinner’s 3-month long suspension by WADA is dominating the headlines, Murray has shared his own case, lightening up the fans’ mood.
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For those unversed, Sinner failed two doping tests in March for Clostebol. The ITIA handed him a provisional suspension, but he appealed against the decision and an independent tribunal concluded that he bore no significant ‘fault or negligence.’ Months later, WADA challenged the verdict, seeking a 1 or 2-year ban from CAS. While the CAS’s final decision was scheduled for April, WADA settled the case with a 3-month suspension for Sinner from February 9 to May 4. Both WADA and ITIA ruled Sinner bearing “no fault or negligence” in this case, yet, the fans aren’t convinced about the decision.
Now Murray’s story might just inject an odd sense of levity into the fans’ otherwise dull mood. But what really happened with Murray?
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Murray attended a show Sporting Misadventures with Chris Hoy and shared a hilarious story about a doping test from one of his Australian Open runs a few years ago. He began by recalling it was his first round match which he won after a battle of 4 hours and 40 minutes. Since it was his season’s debut match, he was on a lot of energy gels, sports drinks, and pickle juices to avoid the cramping. Everything went fine until he was randomly asked to join a doping test post-match.
“I finished the match, won the match and, when I came off the court, I got asked to join a drugs test straight off the court and I was like: ‘F—ing hell, really?’ but I was in a good mood because I’d won. So I went straight from court and I needed to go to the toilet. So I went to do the drugs test. It’s not the most pleasant experience. I’ve gone into the cubicle with the guy and it’s a tight cubicle,” Murray said.
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However, soon after his participation, he realized he had an issue with his stomach. Murray continued, “And I’m like I’ve got to sit down and I’m sitting with a guy staring right in my face having like the most violent diarrhoea in front of this guy. It’s a horrible moment… and for him as well.” But this isn’t the only funny story related to doping in tennis.
Some strange doping cases that changed the narrative of tennis
Czech Republican Petr Korda tested positive for an anabolic steroid Nandrolone, six months before the 1998 Wimbledon. However, the news became public during his run at the British Slam. Initially, it seemed like a bad joke because Korda was the skinniest player on tour and for him to be accused of taking steroids, it couldn’t add up. However, with more details surfacing, things got serious.
The 1998 AO champion claimed he didn’t take the substance knowingly and believed it was contamination from veal. However, an expert dismissed his claim, stating the amount traced in his system would require 40 calves a day for a person. Despite that, Korda wasn’t suspended, but his Wimbledon prize money and ranking points were taken back.
Before Korda, Andre Agassi failed a dope test in 1997. He tested positive for methamphetamine and received a 3-month ban. Agassi claimed his drink was spiked, which resulted in his failure. However, years later, in his Biography, he accepted his fault and revealed how he lied about consuming the drug.
As Sinner’s doping verdict takes center stage, many of these controversial stories are resurfacing. Which one of these stories do you find the most interesting?
Written by
Edited by
Abhishek Rajan