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作者: Corretja (Alex) 看板: Tennis
標題: [情報] Corretja Says Players Support Rusedski
時間: Thu Feb 19 12:44:56 2004
Corretja Says Players Support Rusedski
Alex Corretja By Richard Pagliaro from Tennis Week
02/18/2004
Tennis can be a solo sport, but former ATP Player Council president Alex Corret
ja believes Greg Rusedski can count on collective support from his fellow playe
rs in the aftermath of his appearance before a tribunal to explain how the
banned substance Nandrolone was found in his system.
Speaking on the subject to the media following his 6-4, 6-2 setback to Raemon
Sluiter in Rotterdam, Corretja said that while he doesn't regard Rusedski as
a close friend he would completely support the big-serving Briton should he be
found guilty of violating tennis' anti-doping policy. Corretja claims his
support for Rusedski is so strong, he would participate in a player boycott
— provided other players comply.
"It could happen to any of us," said the two-time French Open finalist in comme
nts reprinted by the Agence France-Presse. "I'd support him (if Rusedski is
found guilty), so would most of the players. I'm not his best friend, but I'd
sign a petition for him. I'd boycott also — but only if everyone else did.
This could happen to any player and I would like to have my fellow player doing
that for me."
The 29-year-old Corretja's comments come less than a week after both Andre
Agassi and Andy Roddick questioned the ATP Tour's handling of the recent drug
allegations.
Eight-time Grand Slam champion Agassi believes the ATP has failed to fully
inform players on developments in the Tour's anti-doping policy, leaving the
players to defend the integrity of the game without adequate information.
"The ATP needs to do something because they've left the players out on their
own," said Agassi during last week's Siebel Open in San Jose. "There's no
satisfactory answer I've received as to why the players are out there on their
own in a media frenzy answering questions uninformed, and being responsible for
the integrity of our sport. That needs to come from our leadership and I
haven't seen it yet."
Last July, the ATP admitted that seven players who tested positive for nandrolo
ne during a period from late August 2002 to mid-May 2003 may have ingested the
banned substance through contaminated tablets inadvertently supplied by ATP Tou
r trainers. As a result of the finding, the ATP announced it immediately
reinstated Bohdan Ulihrach, who was suspended from professional tennis for two
years on May 2nd, fined $43,770 and forced to forfeit 100 ranking after testing
positive for nandrolone metabolites above the IOC-cutoff of 2.0 ng.ml for males
that determines whether a sample is positive.
Rusedski has suggested that the system designed to detect drug use may be
responsible for his positive test. The 30-year-old Rusedski faces a possible
two-year suspension from the sport if found guilty, which could effectively end
his career given his age and recent struggles with injuries.
Corretja conceded the positive tests have prompted paranoia in players who are
frightened that ingesting something as seemingly innocuous as allergy
medication or vitamins could cause a positive test and subsequent suspension.
"Just think, 12 years on the tour, working like a dog, running like hell," said
the former second-ranked Spaniard. "Suddenly you get a positive test and your
career can be over. Everything is risky, the ATP tells us that... maybe they sh
ould go out and play for us. Playing tennis every day is tough. It's not imposs
ible I could test positive for stuff like this. But if I don't take anything,
that's bad for my own health."
Asked how other players view the Rusedski case, Corretja concluded that most
players believe he is innocent.
"I'm sure that Greg didn't take anything, and most players also believe this,"
Corretja said
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※ 編輯: Corretja 來自: 61.64.84.86 (02/19 12:45)
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