Dan Evans confirms he has failed a drugs test for cocaine
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ByEurosport
Updated 24/06/2017 at 09:20 GMT
Dan Evans has announced that he failed a drugs test for cocaine in April 2017.
Britain's Dan Evans looks dejected
Image credit: Getty Images
The British tennis player announced the news on Friday after calling an impromptu press conference in a hotel close to Queen’s Club.
“This is a very difficult day for me,” Evans told the assembled media. “I was notified a few days ago that I failed a drugs test in April where I tested positive for cocaine. It’s really important you know this was taken out of competition and the context was completely unrelated to tennis.
“I made a mistake and I must face up to it. I do not condone for one second to anyone that this was acceptable behaviour.
“I’ve let a lot of people down - my family, my coach, my team, sponsors, British tennis and my fans.
“I can only deeply apologise from the bottom of my heart. This has been an extremely sad and humbling experience.”
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Dan Evans
Image credit: Reuters
The Tennis Anti-Doping Programme later issued a statement, confirming that Evans will be suspended from tennis "pending determination of the case":
On 24 April 2017, Mr Evans, a 27-year-old player from Great Britain, provided an anti-doping sample to the TADP in association with his participation in the Barcelona Open, an ATP World Tour event, held in Barcelona, Spain. That sample was analysed by a World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) accredited laboratory in Montreal, Canada, and was found to contain cocaine and its metabolite. Cocaine is a Non-Specified substance prohibited under category S6 of the 2017 WADA Prohibited List (stimulants), and therefore is also prohibited under the TADP. In accordance with Article 2.1 of the TADP, Mr Evans was charged on 16 June with an Anti-Doping Rule Violation. Mr Evans has accepted the finding of cocaine in his sample collected on 24 April. As positive tests for Non-Specified Substances carry a mandatory Provisional Suspension, Mr Evans will be provisionally suspended with effect from 26 June, pending determination of the case.
The 27-year-old was part of Great Britain's Davis Cup-winning squad in 2015 and achieved his best Grand Slam result with a fourth round appearance in this year's Australian Open.
Evans last played at Surbiton two weeks ago, retiring with an injury and subsequently withdrawing from tournaments in Nottingham, London and Eastbourne.
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