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Slovakia's Andrej Martin was recently suspended until further notice after being accused of doping, joining the likes of Maria Sharapova and Martina Hingis on the list of tennis stars who have been suspended for doping in their careers.
The 32-year-old Martin tested positive for an illegal substance on June 7 but denied that he intentionally consumed it.
“The news about the positive doping test shocked me," Martin sais, via Express. "I categorically reject the idea that I deliberately took something on the list of prohibited substances. I use very few supplements and have not changed them in the last five years."
Martin also said that the whole situation was incomprehensible to him because he always thought the result would be favorable.
"I always approached training and swords honestly, because I thought that with honesty alone you can become a real winner. However, I strongly condemn all prohibited methods of ‘correcting’ sports results. This whole situation is incomprehensible to me because I have done dozens of tests during my entire career and I never suspected that every time the result would be negative,” he stated.
Martin is not the only tennis player who has received a suspension due to doping. Some big names over the years have been handed bans after failing drug tests.
On that note, here are five stars who were suspended due to doping in their careers.
#1. Maria Sharapova
Maria Sharapova is among the finest tennis players of her time and has had a glittering career, winning each of the four Grand Slams at least once.
However, the Russian received an initial two-year ban from tennis in 2016 after testing positive for a drug called meldonium, which was placed on the ITF's banned substance on January 1 that year.
Sharapova claimed she used the drug only to treat magnesium deficiency and symptoms of diabetes. Her ban was eventually reduced from two years to 15 months following an investigation by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Sharapova returned to tennis in April 2017 and continued to play until her retirement in 2020.
#2. Martina Hingis
While Martina Hingis has been a monumental figure in tennis history, she has also had the misfortune of being suspended for doping.
This happened in 2007 when the Swiss star tested positive for benzoylecgonine, which is a metabolite of cocaine. As a result, Hingis was given a two-year suspension from the sport.
However, by this time, she had announced her retirement from the game due to injuries. Hingis came out of retirement in 2013 and excelled on the doubles circuit, winning nine Grand Slams and becoming World No. 1
#3. Marin Cilic
While Marin Cilic is often recognized as one of the nicest guys in tennis, he had to spend time away from the sport due to doping.
In 2013, the Croat tested positive for nikethamide, a substance that affects the respiratory system. He was banned for nine months but appealed, claiming that the drug was present in glucose tablets purchased from a pharmacy.
The Court of Arbitration eventually reduced his ban to four months, which meant that he took no further part in the 2013 ATP tour.
Cilic returned to action in 2014 and won the US Open that year.
#4. Richard Gasquet
Three-time Grand Slam semifinalist Richard Gasquet returned a positive drug test for cocaine in 2009 but denied intentionally consuming it. The Frenchman was initially given a one-year ban.
He was suspended for six weeks before an independent tribunal ruled that he did not consume cocaine intentionally and as a result, his one-year ban was overturned.
#5. Barbora Strycova
Former Doubles World No. 1 Barbora Strycova was given a six-month ban in February 2013 after returning a positive test for the banned stimulant sibutramine. The Czech claimed that the substance accidentally got into her body and the ITF concluded that she bore no significant fault.
However, she was suspended due to negligence and her ban was backdated from October 2012 to April 2013. All of Strycova's results during this period were disqualified and she had to return all the prize money she won.
The Czech returned to action in April 2013 at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart.
