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British tennis player Dan Evans tested positive for cocaine use earlier this year and has subsequently been abandoned by his clothing sponsor Ellesse for the transgression.Ellesse on Dan Evans: “We cannot condone the lifestyle choices he has made and are therefore withdrawing his sponsorship.”
Cocaine is of course regarded as a recreational drug but also as a performance enhancer. Dr Brian Hainline co-authored “Drugs And The Athlete” in 1989 and revealed insights: “If you took the right stimulant you’d be more alert and experience less fatigue. With a carefully calibrated dose of cocaine, you’d play better. Everything is a matter of dosage.”
Evans is not the first name player to test positive for cocaine use. Most recently, Martina Hingis tested positive for cocaine in 2007. Richard Gasquet tested positive in 2009 but his lengthy ban was overturned by the ITF tribunal panel which ruled that the French player’s excuse for the positive test was because he kissed a woman who had used the drug at a nightclub. Gasquet’s punishment was slashed to two and a half months.
Evans addressed the issue at a London press conference last week: “Hello everyone, this is a very difficult day for me. I wanted to come here in person to tell you guys face to face, I was notified a few days ago that I failed a drugs test in April, where I tested positive for cocaine. It’s really important that you know this was taken out of competition and in a context completely unrelated to tennis.
“I made a mistake and I must face up to it. I do not condone for one second that this was acceptable behaviour. I’ve let a lot of people down: my family, my coach, my team, sponsors, British tennis and my fans. I can only deeply apologize from the bottom of my heart.
“This has been a sad and humbling experience. I hope you understand that I will not be taking any questions and I would like to thank you for your support in my career, today – for the good and bad times.”
Evans, ranked 50 in the world by the ATP, tested positive in April in Barcelona. The controversial Brit who has a history of behavioral issues and excessive partying, will learn the length of his ITF ban on June 26.
Two years ago Evans was ranked outside of the top 700 but was able to persevere and battle his way back into the top 50 at a career high of no. 41. The 27 year old veteran will once again have to climb his way back up the ATP rankings through Challengers and Futures after serving what is expected to be at least a one or two year ban.
Evans partied to the extreme and it got the best of him.