Agassi got away with lies – some people do, says ATP
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Adam Helfant, the executive chairman and president of the Association of Tennis Professionals, said yesterday that he had told Andre Agassi he was "disappointed" with the American's comments in his autobiography about drug taking.
In the book, published earlier this month, Agassi said that he had failed a drugs test after taking crystal meth but had escaped a ban after lying about the circumstances, claiming that he had mistakenly taken a drink which contained the drug.
The ATP has refused until now to comment on the specifics of the case, but Helfant, having consulted lawyers, said he could now explain what had happened after Agassi failed the test.
"Regrettably when he was confronted with this positive test he lied, which he now admits," Helfant said at the launch of the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals at London's O2.
"Even more regrettably, he got away with this lie and, in keeping with the rules of the anti-doping programme, no public disclosure was made of this positive test. An independent tribunal found that there was no doping violation. In hindsight you can say that people should not have believed Agassi's story – and with hindsight you would be right. The nature of any appeals process is that some people lie and once in a while they get away with their lies." Helfant said that no retrospective action would be taken against Agassi because he was no longer an active player.
He said that Agassi had telephoned him before publication to explain what he was writing. "I expressed my disappointment to him," Helfant said.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments