Thursday, October 29, 2009

Agassi's Bombshell

Andre Agassi dropped a bombshell on the world of tennis when he admitted that he used a banned drug (crystal methamphetamine) while he was still playing, but escaped a suspension by blaming his positive test on the spiked drink of a former assistant.

Personally I don’t think much of this. I was never a fan of Agassi but he isn’t the first elite athlete to be caught using drugs, and it’s a recreational drug, not a performance enhancing one. Agassi isn’t even the first tennis player to be caught (Martina Hingis come to mind); however I have to question how in the world the ATP accepted Agassi’s reason.

I tested positive for crystal meth because my assistant spike his drink with crystal meth and I accidentally drank the drink. I mean that reason was ridiculous! How could they accept such a reason?

Don’t get me wrong. I admired and applaud Agassi’s guts for admitting to using the drug (his autobiography “Open” would have sold well even without the revelations) but I have to wonder about the anti-doping system the ATP has in place. Agassi’s excuse was ridiculous and I’m amazed the ATP accepted it.

In the end, what’s so shocking to me wasn’t that a tennis player used drugs but how easy it is to get away with it even when you are caught.

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