ブルックスビーが１８か月資格停止、薬物検査を３回受けず

【ロンドンＡＦＰ＝時事】男子テニスのジェンソン・ブルックスビー（米国）が、１年間でドーピング検査を３回受け逃したため、１８か月の資格停止処分を科された。テニスの不正監視団体ＩＴＩＡが２４日に発表した。（写真は男子テニスのジェンソン・ブルックスビー）
　現在２２歳で、２０２２年には自身最高の世界ランキング３３位まで浮上したブルックスビーだが、これで公式戦には２０２５年１月まで戻れないことになった。
　ＩＴＩＡは１０日に選手本人とドーピング検査員ら証人が出席した会合を行い、処分を決定した。ブルックスビーは１回目と３回目の検査を逃したことは認める一方、２回目については異議を唱えたが、訴えは退けられて１８か月の処分を科された。
　ブルックスビーは異議申し立てを予定していることを示唆し、処分の発表後、自身のインスタグラムアカウントで「闘い続ける」と誓った。インスタグラムでは、「受けられなかった検査のうち、２回は自分の過ちだと認めるが、２０２２年６月４日の検査は別だという主張を続ける」と話している。
　ブルックスビーによれば、その日ホテルにやって来た検査員は、ホテル側からブルックスビーがチェックインしていないと言われた。実際に部屋は当時のトレーナーの名前で予約されており、ブルックスビーとしては６月４日の数日前、自分の名前も予約者に加えるようホテルに言っていたものの、ホテルの従業員はブルックスビーがチェックインしていないと検査員に伝えた。
　その後、検査員からは明け方に携帯電話へ連絡があったが、サイレントモードにしていたため着信音が聞こえなかったという。 【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2023/10/25-16:41）

US tennis player Jenson Brooksby has been banned for 18 months after missing three drug tests in a 12-month window, the International Tennis Integrity Agency said in a statement on Tuesday.
The 22-year-old from California, who reached a career high world ranking of 33rd in 2022, will be eligible to return to competition in January 2025.
The ITIA said in a statement Brooksby's suspension had been confirmed following a meeting on October 10 involving the player and witnesses including a doping control officer.
Brooksby admitted missing the first and third drug tests, but had challenged the validity of the second test he was judged to have missed.
However the tribunal dismissed his arguments and imposed an 18-month sanction.
Having considered the evidence, the tribunal found that Brooksby's degree of fault for the missed test was high, the ITIA said in a statement.
The panel said a doping control officer who attempted to carry out the second test had taken all reasonable steps to locate Brooksby at the time.
The whereabouts programme is a vital tool in maintaining a clean sport and no-one wants players to fall foul of the rules in this way, ITIA chief executive Karen Moorhouse said in a statement.
We urge all players to take the necessary steps to ensure that they are meticulous with their whereabouts filings.
Brooksby indicated he planned to appeal the suspension, vowing to keep fighting in a post on Instagram after his punishment was announced.
I have never taken a banned substance in my life, and I was open and honest with the ITIA throughout my case, Brooksby said.
I accepted that two of my missed tests were my fault, but I continue to maintain that my June 4, 2022 missed test should be set aside.
Brooksby said the doping control officer had arrived at his hotel on June 4 to be told that he had not checked in.
In fact, Brooksby's room had been booked in the name of his physio at that time.
He said that while asked his hotel to add his name to the reservation several days before June 4, staff told the doping control officer he had not checked in.
Brooksby said that the doping officer called his cellphone at 6.56am -- but he had not heard the call because it was switched to silent.
Had the doping control officer called my hotel room even once, I would have for sure been tested because I was awake and had nothing to hide, he wrote.