Tennis Player Suspended for Doping: Claims Kiss as Cause
Professional tennis player Goncalo Oliveira, who represents Venezuela, has been suspended for four years by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) after testing positive for methamphetamine. The suspension, announced on Friday, stems from a test conducted in November 2024 during an ATP Challenger event in Manzanillo, Mexico. Both sample A and sample B of the player contained the prohibited substance. Oliveira, born in Portugal, denied having consumed the drug and presented his defense before an independent tribunal. However, the tribunal determined that he could not prove that the presence of the drug was involuntary. Oliveira will be credited for the time served since his provisional suspension, which means he will be able to compete professionally again on January 16, 2029. In August 2020, Oliveira reached the 77th position in the world doubles ranking, the highest of his career.This case is reminiscent of similar situations where athletes have alleged that a kiss was the cause of a positive result in a doping test.
