Former Wimbledon finalist Kyrgios suspended over doping violation

Australian tennis player Nick Kyrgios has been provisionally suspended after testing positive for cocaine, the BBC reported.

The 31-year-old provided a sample during the Mallorca Open on June 22 that was found to contain benzoylecgonine, a metabolite of cocaine. The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) provisionally suspended Kyrgios, saying he has the right to appeal the suspension but has not done so to date.

While suspended, Kyrgios cannot compete, coach or attend Grand Slam tournaments or any events organized or sanctioned by the professional tennis tours until his case is resolved.

Kyrgios acknowledged the positive test in a statement on Instagram, calling it a «huge mistake» and apologizing to his family, fans, sponsors and supporters.

The former world No. 13 said several years of knee and wrist injuries had taken a significant physical and mental toll, but stressed that this did not excuse his actions. He said he would step away from social media and public life for 28 days to focus on his well-being.