“The news was devastating” Max Purcell breaks silence about reasons behind his anti-doping suspension
Max Purcell revealed he volunteered the doping information to the ITIA to be as transparent as possible with the Anti-Doping program.
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Max Purcell (via CNN)
Two-time doubles Grand Slam champion Max Purcell made headlines after being provisionally suspended over an alleged violation of the tennis anti-doping policy. The Australian star recently broke his silence about the news. In his lengthy note about the situation, he revealed that he felt devastated by it.
The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) announced on Monday (December 23) that Purcell entered a voluntary provisional suspension under the tennis anti-doping rules. According to the ITIA’s official statement, the suspension comes after the 26-year-old violated Article 2.2 of the Tennis Anti-Doping program related to the use of a “Prohibited Method.”
The former doubles Wimbledon champion has now explained the case with a note on social media. He pointed out that the anti-doping breach was as a result of an IV infusion complication in a medical clinic.
As announced by the ITIA today, I have voluntarily accepted a provisional suspension since I unknowingly received an IV infusion of vitamins above the allowable limit of 100 ml. Until last week when I received medical records from a clinic showing that the amount of an IV I had received was above 100 ml, I was fully convinced that I had done everything to ensure that I had followed the WADA regulations and methods. But the records show that the IV was over that 100ml limit, even though I told the medical clinic that I was a professional athlete and needed the IV to be below 100 ml.
Max Purcell wrote via Instagram
Purcell then added that the news about the situation was devastating to him, but he volunteered the information to the ITIA to be as transparent as possible.
This news was devastating to me because I pride myself on being an athlete who always makes sure that everything is WADA safe. I volunteered this information to the ITIA and have been as transparent as possible in trying to put this whole situation behind me. I look forward to being back on the court soon.
Max Purcell added
Purcell’s doping saga comes just a few weeks after the ITIA announced that Iga Swiatek tested positive for trimetazidine in August. The Polish star was handed a one-month suspension, but Jannik Sinner, whose case was revealed in August, avoided a suspension entirely.
Max Purcell to miss the 2025 Australian Open
Purcell enjoyed an impressive 2024 season. He first reached the semifinals of the Brisbane International in January after partnering with Jordan Thompson.
The duo then won the Dallas Open and Mifel Tennis Open events, both in February. After that, they reached the final of the Wimbledon Championship but lost to Harri Heliovaara and Henry Patten.
However, Purcell would miss the 2025 Australian Open as he was not on the entry list published earlier this month. He missed out from the singles main draw because he’s currently ranked World No. 105 in the ATP rankings. Besides that, he was also not on the qualifying entry list of the Grand Slam event.
The 26-year-old star reached the second round of the singles Australian Open in January this year after losing to Casper Ruud. Purcell is currently ranked World No. 12 in the ATP doubles rankings. He is also a Grand Slam winner, having won the 2024 US Open title alongside Thompson and 2022 Wimbledon doubles with Matthew Ebden.
Additionally, Purcell and Thompson reached the semifinals of the Paris Masters in November. They also featured in the Nitto ATP Finals doubles and did well to reach the semifinals of the tournament.
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Victor Okechukwu
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