Australia’s two-time Grand Slam doubles champion Max Purcell has voluntarily accepted a provisional suspension under the Tennis Anti-Doping Program, the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) announced Monday.
Purcell, ranked 12th in the world in doubles, admitted to breaching anti-doping rules by using a “prohibited method” and requested the suspension on Dec. 10, which was implemented two days later.
“Time served under provisional suspension will be credited toward any future sanction,” the ITIA said in a statement.
In an Instagram post, the 26-year-old Purcell explained that he unknowingly received an IV infusion of vitamins exceeding the 100ml limit, insisting that he believed he was following World Anti-Doping Agency guidelines.
“But the records show that the IV was over the 100ml limit, even though I told the clinic that I was a professional athlete and needed the IV to be under 100ml,” Purcell explained.
“This news was devastating because I pride myself on being an athlete who makes sure everything is WADA-safe. I volunteered this information to the ITIA and have been as transparent as possible in trying to put this whole situation behind me. I look forward to being back on the court soon.”
Tennis Australia said the ITIA confirmed the breach involved the use of a prohibited method, not the presence of a prohibited substance.
“As the matter is currently under investigation, it is inappropriate to comment further at this time,” it added.
Purcell, who won the men’s doubles title at Wimbledon in 2022 and at the U.S. Open this year, is prohibited from playing in, coaching at, or attending any event authorized by the sport’s governing bodies or national associations.
Purcell is the latest Grand Slam champion to have a case opened by the ITIA, an independent organization established by the sport’s governing bodies to safeguard its integrity.
The agency said last month that French Open champion Iga Swiatek had accepted a one-month suspension after testing positive for the banned substance trimetazidine, following contamination of her sleep medication.
World No. 1 Jannik Sinner was cleared of wrongdoing after two failed tests in March for the anabolic agent clostebol but faces a ban of up to two years after an appeal by WADA.
Both players will compete in the Australian Open, which begins Jan. 12.