Australian tennis player, Nick Kyrgios has failed a doping test and has been provisionally suspended.
The controversial player's suspension was confirmed by the International Tennis Integrity Agency, after he had given a sample at an ATP tournament in Majorca in June. This saw him test positive for benzoylecgonine, which is a metabolite for cocaine.
According to WADA rules, cocaine is ruled as a stimulant, an abusive substance, and prohibited from use in competition.
Nick Kyrgios has been banned from playing and attending tennis matches pending the outcome of a tribunal which will assess his case.
Kyrgios who has been embroiled in his fair share of controversy throughout his career, accepted the findings, posting this message on his Instagram account.
"I wanted you to hear this from me first", he wrote. "I recently failed a drug test in Mallorca after testing positive for cocaine. I made a huge mistake and I take full responsibility for it".
He has been provisionally suspended since August 4.
The former Wimbledon finalist has been plagued by several injuries over the last four years, which has meant he has only played in the main draw of a Grand Slam twice since his run to the Wimbledon final in 2022.
This season has seen Kyrgios only play four matches, and he also wrote that he has felt "helpless and alone" amid his injury battles.
"I'm not going to make excuses, but I do want to give some context about where I've been," he said. "The last couple of years of injuries have taken a huge toll on me, both physically and mentally.
"My body hasn't been able to do what my mind expects it to do, and coming to terms with being near the end of my career has been harder than I ever imagined... letting go of something that has been my whole life is one of the hardest things I've ever had to face", he added. "At times I've felt helpless and alone. None of that excuses what I did".
Nick Kyrgios is ranked 919th in the world at present, and was also given a wild card to play doubles at Wimbledon last month, which saw him lose in the first round with partner Alexander Bublik.
