Ivo Minar banned for eight months for doping

 

Originally published on: 26/02/10 11:47

Ivo Minar has received an eight-month ban after failing a doping test following the Czech Republic’s Davis Cup match against Argentina in July.

The ITF found the sample, which was taken after the Davis Cup quarter-final against Argentina earlier this year, to contain the banned stimulant methylhexanamine.

The 25-year-old claimed that he had taken a food supplement which, unbeknown to him, contained the substance.

“The ITF accepted Mr Minar’s account of the background to his positive test,” said the federation in a statement, justifying their decision to reduce the suspension from one or two years to eight months.

“Under the Anti-Doping Program, however, it is a player’s strict personal duty to ensure that no prohibited substance enters his or her body, whether as an ingredient in a nutritional supplement or otherwise.”

The backdated ban will end on March 10 2010, while the ITF has ruled that the world No.73’s results in Stuttgart, Hamburg and Gstaad will be disqualified.

Minar played in the World Group quarter-final tie against Argentina, losing in straight sets to Juan Martin del Potro as the Czechs closed out a 3-2 win.

Radek Stepanek and Tomas Berdych clinched the vital rubbers to seal victory over the Argentine team, before beating Croatia to reach December’s Davis Cup final against Spain, the Czech Republic’s first final appearance since 1980.

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