Rusedski free to continue career

GREG RUSEDSKI emerged vindicated yesterday from a doping controversy which had threatened to bring a premature end to his career.

An independent tribunal accepted Rusedski's claims that he was not accountable for his positive test for nandrolone at 2a tournament in Indianapolis last July.

Rusedski successfully argued that he had received contaminated substances in good faith from the men's tour's governing body, the Association of Tennis Professionals.

Furious Rusedski had described the affair as "one of the biggest scandals in world sport" before his initial hearing in Montreal one month ago.

Today he called the verdict "clear and unequivocal" and added: "This is an enormous relief to me and I would like to take this opportunity to thank my wife Lucy, my family and my legal team... for standing by me and believing in my innocence.

"To be allowed to carry on playing competitive tennis and to clear my name has been my priority throughout and now I am looking forward to resuming my career."

The British number two is the eighth player in as many months to be exonerated of culpability for ingesting the drug because it was found to come from one of the ATP's own sources.

The ATP stopped dispensing supplements following the acquittal of Czech player Bohdan Ulihrach last May.

But they were found not to have provided sufficient warning that some of the products remained in circulation.

Rusedski's lawyer Mark Gay said: "This is a case where the governing body has itself given substances to players, in this case electrolytes, which have tested positive.

"The governing body itself has put these things into circulation so it is hardly the players' fault to be testing positive."

Accepting that his organisation had not provided sufficient warnings, ATP chief executive Mark Miles said:

"We respect the authority and independence of the tribunal and are satisfied that the process was conducted fairly.

"The Rusedski trial concluded that he should have received personal notification of the risk of taking an electrolyte supplement previously distributed by ATP trainers, and that ATP notices posted in the player newsletters, player intranet website and locker rooms were not adequate."

Under heavy fire and possibly fearing such a damning verdict, the ATP announced last week the establishment of a 'supplement task force' involving leading players such as Tim Henman to advise other players on reducing the risk of inadvertent doping.

But the Lawn Tennis Association's director of performance David Felgate believes significant strides can only be taken with the abolishment of all controversial supplements.

Rusedski is now free to resume his career and is eligible for Great Britain's crucial Davis Cup Euro/African zone clash with Luxembourg next month.

Felgate believes the whole experience might result in Rusedski returning with a new-found resolve and determination to succeed in the game.