Australia’s Davis Cup captain Lleyton Hewitt has obtained a two-week ban and been fined 30,000 Australian {dollars} (£14,600) after being discovered responsible of pushing a doping management official.
Hewitt pushed a 60-year-old volunteer anti-doping chaperone after Australia’s Davis Cup semi-final defeat by Italy final November in Malaga, Spain.
The 2-time Grand Slam singles winner was charged in January for partaking in offensive conduct in direction of a doping management official.
He denied the cost – which was introduced by the the Worldwide Tennis Integrity Company (ITIA) following a overview of video proof, witness statements and interviews – and cited self-defence.
Nonetheless, the ITIA confirmed on Wednesday an impartial tribunal upheld the cost and stated the 44-year-old’s actions “didn’t meet the necessities of self-defence” and the push was “too robust or forceful and was extreme or disproportionate”.
“I am simply actually dissatisfied concerning the general determination but additionally the entire course of to be sincere, and the shortage of details which have been put out,” Hewitt stated.
Hewitt, who received the US Open in 2001 and Wimbledon in 2002, can be banned from collaborating in “all tennis-related actions” from 24 September till 7 October.
He’ll be capable to captain Australia as they host Belgium within the second spherical of Davis Cup qualifiers from 13-14 September in Sydney.
The tribunal’s chair Michael Heron stated they didn’t need the suspension to be “unduly punitive” on Hewitt by impacting his Davis Cup schedule.
Talking earlier than the occasion, Hewitt stated he’ll attraction and “will not be speaking about it any additional”.
He stated he wouldn’t be stepping down for the Davis Cup qualifiers, including: “Not like the ITIA and the ITF (Worldwide Tennis Federation), I will not be making it a distraction for the Davis Cup. This competitors means an excessive amount of.
“I believe deep down it should make the boys even stronger to go on the market and get the job achieved.”
ITIA chief govt Karen Moorhouse stated in a press release: “Anti-doping personnel play a basic position behind the scenes in upholding the integrity of tennis and they need to be capable to go about their roles with out concern of bodily contact.
“On this case, that line was clearly crossed and we had no different choice however to take motion.”
