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Nadal gives backing to Troicki

Rafael Nadal said in October there was no case for Viktor Troicki to answer © Getty Images

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Rafael Nadal has offered his support to Viktor Troicki following the shortening of his ban from tennis on appeal.

On Tuesday, Troicki had his ban reduced from 18 months to 12 by the Court of Arbitration for Sport after they decided the Serb was not entirely at fault for the incident at the Monte Carlo Masters.

Troicki only provided a urine example at the time after saying he felt ill, and with his fear of needles asked the doping control officer whether he could return the following day for the mandatory blood test to avoid potentially fainting.

Troicki was told that he could return the next day to give the blood sample, although the DCO have denied those claims. The ban has been reduced as a result of the misleading information, but CAS said Troicki still "committed an anti-doping violation", despite the sample returning clean.

And Nadal, who said at the Shanghai Masters in October that there was "no case" to answer if Troicki was told he was allowed to provide a blood sample 24 hours later, reiterated that point.

"At the end it's a tough position for everybody because I believe in Viktor," Nadal said. "But at the end there is somebody that has to take the decision. The doctor who accepted to make the control the next day, if it's that way, [it's a] big mistake from the doctor too."

While Nadal remained tight-lipped on the reduction of the ban, the Spaniard did sympathise with Troicki.

"Somebody has to decide how many months are sanctioned. That's 12. I am sorry for him. I know Viktor is a good guy, and I hope to see him back on tour next year," he added.

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