Doping Just Happens to Be Topic

A sampling of the morning headlines here Wednesday:

“New drugs row flares”

“Courier opens new can of drugs”

And finally: “BAD BLOOD”

So it was an appropriate time for the tennis powers-that-be to hold a news conference at the Australian Open regarding the sport’s anti-doping program. A men’s tour spokesperson said the event had been scheduled before days of chaos and even before former No. 1 Jim Courier said he has suspected players of using illegal methods such as blood doping and EPO (Erythropoetin, a performance-enhancing drug). Courier did not name any names or offer any proof but said it is clearly prevalent in Europe.

“In any sport it seems like when questions of cheating and doping in particular come up, it becomes kind of a silly season,” said Mark Miles, ATP chief executive officer. “Comments are made which, you know, I think are unfortunate.

”. . . Clearly what [Courier] said [Tuesday] is unsubstantiated. He had not spoken to any of us in the program about his concerns in that regard.’

ITF President Brian Tobin said he does not think the sport has been damaged by the Petr Korda case. Korda, the defending champion here, tested positive for the banned steroid nandrolone at Wimbledon in 1998 and received no suspension, losing only his prize money and computer points.

“It is not as if we suddenly uncovered a cache of dopers, you know,” Tobin said. “It’s not like cycling or football [soccer] or anything else.

“All we’ve got here . . . “

Tobin suddenly realized the increased interest from the press and amended his statement.

“I didn’t say that, sorry,” he said. “It’s not as if the whole sport is falling apart because of dope cheating. All we have here is a dispute over a penalty, so we are trying to get across to you that that is the problem. . . . So let’s get on with tennis. Tennis is a clean sport. There are very few instances of cheating in this regard to tennis.”

Debbie Jevans, the ITF’s medical administrator, clarified the “exceptional circumstances” that led the ITF’s independent appeals committee to not suspend Korda.

“There were no other exceptional circumstances, other than those that were released by the ITF when they released the judgment,” she said. “The appeals committee judged that the player was an honest, open and reliable witness. They took into account the character witnesses from [coach] Tony Pickard and Boris Becker. And they took into account he had not tested positive prior to Wimbledon or since Wimbledon, and that’s it.”