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The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) has reassessed American tennis player Jenson Brooksby's 18-month suspension from competitive tennis for missing three drug tests and reduced the sentence to 13 months.
Brooksby was handed the initial 18-month sentence in October 2023 after missing three consecutive drug tests over a 12-month period. The American had accepted the provisional ban for his 'whereabouts failures' for two of the tests. This backdated his suspension to July 5, 2023.
Now, ITIA has announced that an agreement has been reached between Jenson Brooksby and the organization, which will see his suspension period reduced to 13 months. This change came after ITIA received "new information relating to the circumstances giving rise to the missed tests" as part of Brooksby's appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
The ITIA and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) analyzed the new information and concluded that Brooksby's degree of fault for the Anti-Doping Rule Violation was not as severe as previously adjudged by the independent tribunal that handed the initial 18-month sentence. As a result, his suspension was shortened.
Moreover, the 23-year-old's suspension period will now be backdated to February 4, 2023, the date of his third and final missed test. This means he can return to action as soon as March 3, 2024. The ITIA has not revealed the new information that led to Brooksby's sentence being reduced.
Jenson Brooksby was delighted with the news and shared his thoughts on Instagram. In a post, he called the last 13 months a "nightmare" and thanked his friends, family, and fans for their continued support. He also particularly expressed gratitude to his sponsors for sticking by him during this tough time.
“It gives me tremendous joy, and relief, that I can get back to doing what I love. The last 13 months have been exhausting, and a nightmare I don’t wish on anyone. To my family, my team, and all my extended family and friends - thank you for keeping my head up through these difficult times," Brooksby wrote.
"I want to thank my sponsors for all their continued support. It means the world to me. Lastly, to my loyal fans - Thank You for your kind words and constant support. Let's go!" he concluded.
Jenson Brooksby last played at Australian Open 2023
Jenson Brooksby last played competitive tennis at the 2023 Australian Open. On his debut at the tournament, the American registered a tough four-set victory against local player Christopher O'Connell in the first round and then notched the biggest win of his career over No. 2 seed Casper Ruud in the second round.
Brooskby's run was ended by compatriot Tommy Paul in the third round. After Melbourne, Brooksby underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left wrist for a dislocated tendon in March 2023 and the same surgery on his right wrist in May.
The American reached his highest ranking of World No. 33 in June 2022 after reaching his first ATP Tour final at the Dallas Open and the fourth round at the Indian Wells and Miami Open.
