Player suspensions in tennis are becoming rampant, and Jenson Brooksby is the latest tennis professional deemed in violation of anti-doping rules.
In a statement on Tuesday, the ITIA stated that, through an independent tribunal, it had suspended former World No. 33 Jenson Brooksby for missing three out-of-competition drug tests in a 12-month window, and will be ineligible to complete until January 2025.
Brooksby, who had been serving a temporary ban while waiting for a ruling, was "very disappointed" with the outcome in a post he shared on his Instagram account. The ITIA has backdated the sanction start date to July 5, 2023, the day in which Brooksy was handed a provisional suspension.
"The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) can confirm that an independent tribunal has suspended American tennis player Jenson Brooksby for 18 months after it found the player had committed three whereabouts failures in a twelve-month period."
"Having considered the evidence, the tribunal found that Brooksby’s degree of fault for the missed test was high. The tribunal found that the DCO “took all reasonable steps to locate the player” in the disputed test and the player was negligent by not making themself available for testing during the identified time slot."
The 22-year-old American had challenged the second of his three missed tests after accepting the absences in the first and third tests. However, the tribunal noted that the DCO (Doping Control Officer) "took all reasonable steps to locate the player" in the disputed test and that the player was negligent on his part in making himself available.
In the statement, Brooksby's degree of fault for the disputed test was considered "high". Currently, outside the world's Top 300, Brooksby hasn't played since a third-round defeat to Tommy Paul at this year's Australian Open.
After that loss in Melbourne, he underwent wrist surgery to repair a dislocated tendon. He is permitted to appeal the decision to the Court of Arbitration of Sport. Three missed tests or filing failures within a 12-month rolling period is considered a breach of anti-violation doping rules and can carry a maximum penalty of up to two years.
Brooksby isn't the only culprit who is found in flouting these rules. Recently, former World No. 50 Mikael Ymer was suspended for 18 months for the same wrongdoing before his shocking retirement from the sport.
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