Nicolas Jarry receives 11-month doping ban, blames Brazilian vitamins

Top 100 tennis player Nicolas Jarry was given an 11-month doping ban by the International Tennis Federation on Monday, stemming from a failed test at the Davis Cup Finals in November.

In separate statements, Jarry, a 24-year-old from Chile, said he “accepted” the punishment, which will keep him from playing until Nov. 15, while the ITF said it “accepted” his explanation that two banned substances found in his urine sample came from vitamins made in Brazil.

His suspension comes while tennis — like nearly every sport around the globe — is on hold because of the coronavirus pandemic. All sanctioned professional tournaments have been postponed or canceled until at least mid-July.

“Extending these legal processes would only add more stress and uncertainty to my professional future,” Jarry said.

The ITF ruled that Jarry “bore no significant fault or negligence for his violation.” But it makes players responsible for what is found in their bodies.

The World Anti-Doping Agency found ligandrol and stanozolol in Jarry’s test; stanozolol is a steroid, and ligandrol can act like a steroid.

“It is apparent that the consumption of bespoke supplements, in particular those made in compound pharmacies in South America, carries with it a significant degree of risk for sportsmen and women who are subject to anti-doping rules,” the ITF statement said, “and the escalating bans that have been imposed on tennis players for such violations have not been adequate to deter other players from taking those risks.”

Jarry is currently ranked 89th.

He reached a career-best No. 38 in singles in July 2019 and has won one ATP title in singles and two in doubles, accumulating about $2 million in prize money as a professional. Jarry reached the quarterfinals in doubles at the French Open and U.S. Open in 2018.

His last competition before he was provisionally suspended came in singles qualifying at the Adelaide International tuneup tournament for the Australian Open in January. The ITF back-dated the start of his ban to Dec. 16, meaning he will need to forfeit prize money and rankings points earned after that date.

“It has been months of deep pain, and although sometimes everything that happened feels a little unfair, I am trying to learn as much as I can from this situation,” Jarry said. “I know that ultimately I will be stronger from this experience.”