Tennis

Marin Cilic to appeal nine-month ban

ESPN staff

September 17, 2013

Cillic handed nine month ban

Marin Cilic has confirmed that he intends to fight the doping ban handed down to him by the International Tennis Federation (ITF).

The Croatian has been suspended for nine months after testing positive for the banned stimulant nikethamide at the Munich Open in April.

Cilic has not played since Wimbledon in June. As his suspension is backdated to May 1, he will be able to return to the tour on January 31, 2014.

"I will appeal to the decision of the Court of Arbitration for Sport very soon," he said.

"I would like to stress that I have never in my life knowingly or deliberately taken any banned substance."

Cilic said a member of his team had bought Coramine glucose tablets at a pharmacy and he was unaware they contained the prohibited substance.

"Unbeknownst to me, the glucose tablets contained a substance that is banned in-competition, although it is allowed out-of-competition," he said. "I wish to emphasise that I have never knowingly or deliberately taken any banned substances in my life and that I am opposed to any use of performance-enhancing substances in sport."

The ITF accepted he had inadvertently taken the substance and "did not intend to enhance his performance in doing so".

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