ITF Anti-Doping Tribunal
Ilanit Fridman suspended for one month for doping offence
The International Tennis Federation announced today that
an independent Anti-Doping Tribunal convened under the Tennis
Anti-Doping Programme has found that Ilanit Fridman has committed
a Doping Offence.
The independent Anti-Doping Tribunal has ruled that Ms Fridman,
a 29-year-old wheelchair tennis player from Israel, has committed
a Doping Offence under Article C.1 of the Programme (presence
of a Prohibited Substance in a sample). A sample provided
by Ms Fridman on 5 October 2005 at the US Open Wheelchair
Tennis Championships in San Diego, California, tested positive
for terbutaline, a substance utilized for the treatment of
asthma.
Terbutaline is classified by the WADA Code and the Tennis
Anti-Doping Programme as a Specified Substance. The Tribunal
found that there had been no intent in this case to enhance
performance by the taking of terbutaline so that the otherwise
mandatory two-year ban under the Programme did not apply.
However, the player was found to be at fault for failing to
take personal responsibility for ensuring that she had a valid
Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) to cover the use of terbutaline.
The Tribunal confirmed the commission of a doping offence
and determined that Ms Fridman should be suspended for one
month, commencing 24 December 2005 and ending 23 January 2006,
and that her results should be disqualified in the singles
and doubles at the US Open Wheelchair Tennis Championship
2005 with loss of ranking points and prize money of US$98.
The Tribunal’s written decision with reasons is available
on the ITF website at www.itftennis.com. Any party wishing
to appeal the decision has three weeks to do so from receipt
of the written decision. The Tennis Anti-Doping Programme
is a comprehensive and internationally recognised drug-testing
programme that applies to all players competing at tournaments
sanctioned by the ITF, ATP and WTA Tour. Players are tested
for substances prohibited by the World Anti-Doping Agency.
Charges of breach of the programme are heard by an independent
Anti-Doping Tribunal. More background information on the Programme,
penalties, statistics and testing procedure information can
be found at www.itftennis.com/antidoping.
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