Thomaz Bellucci can launch his comeback from a doping suspension in February.
Bellucci's five-month doping suspension ends on January 31st. The Brazilian left-hander's case is one of six doping violation cases updated in the ITF's quarterly report.
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A sample provided by the Brazilian on July 18th at the Swedish Open in Bastad contained hydrochlorothiazide and its metabolite, chloraminophenamide, according to the Tennis Anti-Doping Program. Hydrochlorothiazide is a specified diuretic/masking agent.
Bellucci’s account of how the hydrochlorothiazide got into his system was accepted and that he bears no significant fault or negligence for the violation. His ban is deemed to have started on September 1st, 2017, and expires at midnight on January 31st, 2018.
View the Tennis Anti Doping Program quarterly report here.
The ITF reports the TADP conducted 6,293 doping tests in 2017, including 3,081 in-competition urine samples. Men provided 1,854 urine samples in competition; women accounted for 1,227 urine samples in competition.
Total samples collected increased from 4,889 in 2016 to 6,293. Urine samples collected rose from 1,987 in 2016 to 3,081 in 2017.
The ITF issued these updates in other doping cases:
Jake Mak (NED) committed an anti-doping violation on account of his refusal to provide a blood sample on request. As a consequence, a period of ineligibility of two years was imposed on him.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) rejected the appeal filed by Arsan Arashov (KAZ) against the decision of an Independent Tribunal against the two-year ban imposed on him.
Czech Katerina Kramperova was found to have committed an anti-dopingviolation. She tested positive for Amiloride, hydrochlorothiazide and its metabolite, chloraminophenamide. Amiloride and Hydrochlorothiazide are specified diuretics/masking agents. Kramperova was suspended for six months.
Adrian Barbu (ROM) was provisionally suspended on October 22nd pending final determination of his case. Barbu tested positive fornandrolone metabolite (19-norandrosterone) and methenolone (metenolone) metabolite, which are non-specified anabolic agents, and carry a mandatory provisional suspension on August 16th in the Bucher Reisen Tennis Grand Prix, an ATP Challenger Tour event.
Spencer Furman (USA) was provisionally suspended on November 13th pending final determination of his case. Furman tested positive for d-amphetamine, a non-specified stimulant, which carries a mandatory provisional suspension, on September 9th in the ATP Challenger, held in Cary, NC, USA.
Yurii Dzhavakian (UKR) accepted a voluntary provisional suspension on January 6th pending final determination of his case, as a result of the provision on 9 October of a positive sample in relation to his participation in the Thailand F7 Futures held in Nonthaburi, an ITF Pro Circuit event. That sample contained Methylhexanamine, a specified stimulant.
Photo credit: Valeriano Di Domenico/Swiss Open Gstaad