ATP Challenger: Colombians suspended by ITF for cocaine use
30-year-old Colombian Alejandro Gomez was convicted of using cocaine and immediately suspended from all international competitions by the ITF.
by tennisnet.com
last edit: Dec 27, 2021, 01:16 pm
Regular use of hard drugs such as cocaine is harmful to the body and mind, while the occasional use of drugs is not beneficial for an international tennis career. Top players like Mats Wilander and Karel Novacek had to face this fact, both of whom could be proven to have taken the white powder at the 1995 French Open in Paris. Although the Swede and the Czech got off lightly with a three-month ban, the two former top professionals finally ended their careers nine months later.
How the career of the so far less successful Colombian Alejandro Gomez will continue is still open. What is certain is that the 30-year-old gave a urine sample at the ATP Challenger tournament in Bogota (Colombia's capital) on October 19, 2021, in which a metabolite of the stimulating substance was revealed. Cocaine is of course on the list of prohibited substances of the WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency), so the ITF reacted quickly to the current facts.
On November 30, the South American was served a letter with all charges, and on December 15, Gomez was temporarily suspended from all international competitions. The Davis Cup player has not yet exercised his right of reply. Gomez won his first ATP Challenger title in doubles at the clay court event in Quito (Ecuador) in September this year. The right-hander is currently in doubles in position 171 in the ATP rankings, in singles he is currently in position 489.