Australian tennis player Nick Kyrgios has been provisionally suspended from competition after testing positive for cocaine. He is also barred from training and attending tournaments, according to infohub.kz.
The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) announced the suspension of the 31-year-old athlete on its official website. The sample was taken on June 22, 2026, during the ATP 250 tournament in Mallorca, Spain. On July 17, a WADA-accredited laboratory confirmed the presence of benzoylecgonine, a metabolite of cocaine. Cocaine is a stimulant and narcotic substance included in the prohibited list and is banned for use during competition under the Tennis Anti-Doping Programme. Due to the nature of the substance, a provisional suspension is mandatory and takes effect from August 4, 2026.
It is noted that Kyrgios, who reached a career-high world ranking of 13th in singles in October 2016, has the right to appeal the provisional suspension but has not done so to date. As in all cases under the Tennis Anti-Doping Programme, Kyrgios can expect support from the ITIA. During the suspension, he is prohibited from playing, coaching, or attending any events organized or sanctioned by the International Tennis Federation, WTA, ATP, Grand Slam tournaments, or any national association.
The athlete himself also confirmed the suspension on his Instagram. "I recently failed a doping test in Mallorca, testing positive for cocaine. I made a huge mistake and I take full responsibility for it. I apologize to my fans, family, sponsors, and everyone close to me. Above all, I apologize to the children who follow me. I know what kind of example this sets, and I am deeply disappointed in myself. I am not going to make excuses, but I want to talk about what has been going on with me. The last couple of years, injuries have taken a toll on me both physically and mentally," Kyrgios wrote in his stories.
According to the tennis player, "his body could not do what his mind expected, and coming to terms with the approaching end of his career proved harder than he ever could have imagined." "I have always said that I didn't choose tennis—tennis chose me. But letting go of what has been my whole life is one of the hardest challenges I have ever had to face. At times, I felt helpless and lonely. None of this justifies what I did. However, the good news is that this has been a wake-up call for me. For the next 28 days, I will stay away from social media and public life, focusing on getting myself together. I ask for respect for my privacy during this time, and most importantly, the privacy of my family. I apologize. I will work on myself and come back a better person," he wrote.