Wimbledon star releases defiant statement after being banned for 18 months

Mikael Ymer has hit out at the International Tennis Federation citing ‘unfair’ treatment after the tennis star was suspended from professional tennis for 18 months for allegedly breaching anti-doping regulations. The Swedish player will be provisionally banned until January 2025 after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) found he had been at fault, and he will serve a lengthy suspension for failing to adhere to anti-doping rules.

The charges related to a period where Ymer is accused of missing three out-of-competition drug test attempts over the space of 12 months. American tennis star Jenson Brooksby was also suspended earlier this year for the same offence.

Ymer was initially cleared by an independent tribunal after requesting a hearing in June 2022. But the ITF fought the decision with an appeal of their own and, 13 months later on July 17, the governing body of tennis informed Ymer that he will be sidelined for a year and a half.

The CAS ruled in favour of the ITF, concluding that Ymer “failed in ensuring his compliance with the anti-doping regulations by omitting to verify his whereabouts on November 7 2021” and concluded the “fault of the player […] was high”, adding that the third instance “could be described as the result of culpable negligence”.

Ymer, 24, is currently 51st in the men’s singles ATP rankings and was on the cusp of breaking into the top 50 for the first time in his career. But he now faces another long battle to clear his name after his latest setback and made his thoughts clear on the decision.

A statement on Ymer’s official Twitter account confirmed his ban. It read: “In January 2022, the ITF charged me with a potential anti-doping rule violation for having 3 missed out of competition test attempts in a 12-month period. I fought that charge at a hearing, and was cleared by an independent tribunal of 3 arbitrators in June of 2022.

“The ITF appealed that decision despite the fact that the 3 independent arbitrators who cleared me were appointed under its own rules, and asked the Court of Arbitration for Sport to reach a different decision on the same facts under which I had already been cleared.

“Yesterday, I learned that the Court of Arbitration for Sports has suspended me from professional tennis for 18 months, despite never having used nor been accused of using banned substances. Having already been cleared once, and wholeheartedly standing by the fact that I do not feel that the 3rd offence was committed, I find their decision to try me again and subsequently find me guilty, unfair.

“On top of that, I find it difficult to comprehend that they found an 18 month suspension to be a just punishment. I understand that these rules have been put in place to protect the integrity of our sport, and that they are there for a reason. However, I do not believe I broke those rules, and my conscience is clear with God as my witness.”

The Swedish No 1 reached the third round at Wimbledon this year – his best finish to date – before he fell to a five-set defeat at the hands of Daniel Elahi Galan. He made the headlines for pulling off an upset in round two, knocking out ninth seed Taylor Fritz in five sets before losing out to Galan.

He was due to face Peruvian opponent Juan Pablo Varillas at the Swiss Open on Monday but the match was cancelled.