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Reilly Opelka has received flack on social media after tennis fans found his comments on Fernando Verdasco's two-month ban uncalled for.
The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) on Wednesday released a statement stating that Verdasco was banned for two months after he tested positive for the drug methylphenidate and forgot to renew the Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE). A TUE allows athletes to compete even if their medication involves a prohibited substance.
The 39-year-old Spaniard, who was tested at an ATP Challenger event in Brazil in February 2022, accepted the charge under the 2022 Tennis Anti-Doping Programme (TADP). However, Opelka took to social media to accuse Verdasco of legal doping, saying that Adderall was a performance-enhancing drug.
"One of the biggest issues in tennis.. why are guys taking adderall for the first time in their life as adults? Legal doping," Opelka tweeted.
"Sorry but I don't have empathy for any tennis player testing positive for adderall, as in my mind it's a PED," he wrote.
While defending Verdasco and players with other disorders, fans blasted Opelka for his insensitive remarks and suggested that the American had no idea what he was talking about.
"Hey a**hole, Verdasco was actually diagnosed with ADHD as a child but couldn’t receive treatment to avoid the exact problem you’re being up. However, the rules have changed now thanks to TUEs, and he can finally take medication. god forbid he try to make his life easier," a fan tweeted.
Another fan called Opelka "uneducated" for his views on the issue.
"God forbid someone gets the help they need to function if they're an adult, they'll have to worry about Reilly Opelka opening up his uneducated dumbass mouth to accuse them of doping," a user wrote.
"ADHD is an actual condition that affects ppl in their daily lives and it's actually amazing he made it at such a high level in a sport that requires such concentration during HOURS + Verdasco has achieved more than you ever will so stfu," another tweet read.
Here are some more fan reactions:
"Are ADHD meds the meldonium for the brain?" - Pam Shriver reacts to Fernando Verdasco's ban
After Fernando Verdasco received a two-month ban for failing to renew the TUE for his medication for ADHD (attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder), former American player Pam Shriver stated that many players used such medications.
"Through grapevines of pro tennis, I hear that many players are on ADHD meds to help sharpen focus and concentration in a manner that brings up integrity questions. Are ADHD meds the meldonium for the brain? Wonder how many current players have asked for a TUE for ADHD recently," Shirver tweeted following Fernando Verdasco's ban.
