• ATP Tour

Brett: 'Careless' Cilic naive to doping risks

Marin Cilic's former coach Bob Brett has branded the Croatian careless and naive for taking an over-the-counter supplement that saw him fail a doping test.

Brett, who coached Boris Becker and Goran Ivanisevic in the past, also called on the ATP and the ITF to do more to educate players about the risks of using non-sanctioned supplements.

Reports in Cilic's native Croatia last week broke the news that the world No. 15 had failed a doping test at the BMW Munich Open in April, shortly before he parted ways with Brett in May. The Australian phoned Cilic when the reports emerged and his former charge confirmed the news.

"He said he had tested positive," Brett told the Guardian. "The one thing I found out was that he tested positive for high glucose and Marin had co-operated with the organisation [the ITF] about the product and the pharmacy.

"One of the people in his team bought it in a pharmacy - basically what you've been reading in the papers. Some people will say he made a mistake. But it was carelessness."

Cilic learnt about the positive test during Wimbledon, when he pulled out of his second-round match against Frenchman Kenny de Schepper, citing a knee injury. He has not played since.

"All through the years I've always explained the importance of not buying products over the counter because of the risk of contaminated products," Brett added.

"They believe that everything is going to be okay. In a sense they are naive to the risk. The player hopes it's okay and it's not. They are then tarnished, sponsors are reluctant to sign them to contracts and promote their products."

News of Cilic's positive test comes just days after Viktor Troicki was handed an 18-month suspension for refusing to produce a blood sample at the Monte Carlo Masters. The Serbian has vowed to clear his name.

Brett called for the ITF to do more to educate players, and for the ATP to follow the WTA's lead and partner a sanctioned supplements supplier. Any WTA player who fails a doping test on account of a product provided by Usana Health Sciences is entitled to up to $1million in compensation.

"The [ATP and WTA] Tours need to help educate the players and people working with the players of the consequences and risk. Handing someone a pamphlet is like when you get something in the post; it tends not to get read. It has to be drummed into them."

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