A former Wimbledon Doubles champion, who also won the US Open doubles title last year, has been ordered to return approximately £100,000 in prize money following a doping ban.
The player is Max Purcell, 27. He has received an 18-month ban, which is a reduced sanction (25% off the standard two years) due to his full cooperation and willingness to share information.
The ban resulted from Purcell receiving IV infusions exceeding 500ml on two separate occasions in December 2023 while unwell in Bali. Anti-doping rules under the World Anti-Doping Code and TADP (Tennis Anti-Doping Programme) limit IV infusions to a maximum of 100ml within any 12-hour period.
According to Purcell, the ITIA (International Tennis Integrity Agency) acknowledged that the excessive infusion was unintentional and contained only Wada-approved substances that did not enhance performance.
Purcell explained: “It was 11 days prior to my first match of the season and was also administered at a 24/7 medical facility in a third world location after feeling unwell and fatigued from training.”
In an Instagram statement, he described the significant toll the case has taken, saying it has seriously affected his quality of life.
“From being unable to sleep and eat properly and refusing to be by myself, to developing nervous and anxious tics, which I still currently battle day to day.
“I couldn’t sit and enjoy anything without the thought of the case and the endless possibilities of what sanction I would receive.
“I’m so glad this is finally over for me and I can move on with my life.”
This ban prevents the Australian player from participating in, coaching at, or attending any tennis events until June 11, 2026.
However, since he voluntarily accepted a provisional suspension in December, he has already served some of the ban time.
The article briefly mentions the case of US Open and Australian Open champion Jannik Sinner, who accepted a three-month ban in February after being inadvertently contaminated with a banned substance by his physio, a decision that followed an initial clearance, a WADA appeal, and a case resolution agreement.
