Teymuraz Gabashvili has been hit with a 20-month doping ban that could mean the end of his competitive career.

The 36-year-old Russian's doping suspension began on November 18th and concludes at midnight on July 17th, 2023, the International Tennis Federation announced.

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Gabashvili submitted a urine sample on June 16, 2021 at the Beeline Business Challenger held in Almaty, Kazakhstan. That sample was sent to the World Anti-Doping Agency accredited laboratory in Montreal, Canada for analysis, and was found to contain furosemide. Furosemide, commonly used as a masking agent, is a banned substance on the WADA Prohibited List.

Positive tests for specified substances do not carry a mandatory provisional suspension.

Gabashvili, who reached a career-high rank of No. 43 in February, 2016, was charged with an apparent anti-doping rule violation on July 22, 2021. Gabashvili admitted the violation and agreed to a period of ineligibility of 20 months.

It is the first anti-doping rule violation for Gabashvili, who has earned $4.2 million in career prize money.

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