Australian tennis player Nick Kyrgios, a former Wimbledon finalist, disclosed on Wednesday that he had tested positive for cocaine. Consequently, he has been provisionally suspended from the sport. Kyrgios, aged 31, reached the 2022 singles final at Wimbledon, where he was defeated by Novak Djokovic. However, he has participated in only two Grand Slam tournaments since then and currently holds the 919th rank due to a string of injuries.
Taking to social media, Kyrgios shared the details of his drug test failure in Mallorca, where he tested positive for cocaine during a tournament in June. Expressing regret, he acknowledged his error, stating, “I recently failed a drug test in Mallorca after testing positive for cocaine. I made a huge mistake and take full responsibility for it.” Cocaine is prohibited as a doping substance during competitions, with varying penalties when detected outside of events.
Kyrgios has previously openly discussed his mental health challenges, which were exacerbated by alcohol and drug misuse. He admitted to struggling with the realization that his career is approaching its conclusion after enduring two years of injuries. Despite feeling helpless and isolated at times, Kyrgios emphasized that his actions cannot be excused.
Recently, Kyrgios received a wild card to compete in the doubles event at Wimbledon, where he and his partner Alexander Bublik were eliminated in the opening round. The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) will handle the case, confirming that Kyrgios’ sample was collected on June 22, and the positive test results were confirmed on July 17, post his Wimbledon participation.
Following the confirmation of the positive test, a mandatory provisional suspension was imposed on Kyrgios on August 4. The ITIA noted that Kyrgios has not contested this suspension.