LONDON (Reuters) – Russian player Teymuraz Gabashvili has been banned for 20 months following an anti-doping violation, the International Tennis Federation (ITF) said on Friday.
The 36-year-old, who reached a career high 43rd in the world in 2016, was tested at a Challenger event in Almaty, Kazakhstan in June and his urine sample was found to contain furosemide, which is on the World Anti-Doping Agency’s banned substance list.
“Mr. Gabashvili admitted the violation and agreed to a period of ineligibility of 20 months under Programme Article 10.8.2. The period of ineligibility starts on the date of the decision, i.e. 18 November 2021,” a statement said.
Gabashvili will lose ranking points and prize money from the Almaty Challenger but can keep them from the following tournaments until his sanction begins as it was found he had gained no competitive advantage.
Furosemide is a diuretic often used to treat high blood pressure, heart failure and fluid build-up.
Gabashvili twice reached the fourth round at the French Open, in 2010 and 2015.
(Reporting by Martyn Herman; Editing by Dan Grebler)
