Alize Cornet: French tennis player facing ban after missing three drugs tests in the last year

The world No 42 claims she 'missed three unannounced controls at home because of valuable reasons that the ITF didn't want to hear'

Eleanor Crooks
Thursday 25 January 2018 09:42 GMT
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Alize Cornet faces a ban from tennis after missing three doping tests in a year
Alize Cornet faces a ban from tennis after missing three doping tests in a year

French player Alize Cornet is under investigation by the International Tennis Federation after missing three doping tests in the last year.

Under the whereabouts rules, players must make themselves available for out-of-competition testing for one hour every day and the 28-year-old could potentially face a lengthy ban.

The French Tennis Federation announced the news in a statement, saying: "The French Tennis Federation, after being informed by the International Tennis Federation on January 11, took note of the opening, against Alize Cornet, of a disciplinary procedure for breach of the rules governing the fight against anti-doping, in this case three non-presentations during unannounced checks in the last 12 months."

Cornet, who is ranked 42, has been removed from the French Fed Cup team for the first-round tie against Belgium next month to allow her to "prepare her defence".

But in a defiant message on Twitter she accused the ITF of not listening to her "valuable" reasons and said she would continue to play tournaments.

Cornet wrote: "Last October I got a third 'no show' from the Anti-Doping Agency and the ITF, which means that among the 20 anti-doping controls that I had in the 2017 season, which were all negative of course, I missed three unannounced controls at home because of valuable reasons that the ITF didn't want to hear.

"My case will be presented at a hearing in March that will determine the rest of my season. I will continue my tournaments normally till then, nevertheless I won't be able to represent my country at the next Fed Cup event due to a clause in the ITF law.

"I will keep you updated and promise you to stay strong during this tough time."

Cornet competed at the Australian Open this month where she reached the third round

Cornet reached the third round of the Australian Open before losing to Belgium's Elise Mertens.

The ITF released a statement confirming Cornet was charged with an anti-doping violation on January 11.

But it refuted Cornet's claim that it did not listen to her reasons, saying: "In accordance with the TADP (Tennis Anti-Doping Programme) rules, no further comment will be made pending determination of the case, except as may be necessary to respond to public comment by Ms Cornet or her representatives.

"In that regard, the TADP points out that, contrary to the implication in Ms Cornet's statement that the 'valuable reasons' for her unavailability for testing at her declared whereabouts went unheard, the process set out in the International Standard for Testing and Investigations for the management of Whereabouts Failures, which includes the right for the player to request an independent assessment of whether the requirements for such failures were met, was followed in all three instances."

PA

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