Kyrgios given one-month ban for positive cocaine test

Australian tennis player Nick Kyrgios is eligible to return to competition after accepting a one-month ban following a positive test for cocaine. The 31-year-old athlete was provisionally suspended on August 4 after laboratory tests on a sample he provided during the Mallorca Open in June detected benzoylecgonine, which is a metabolite of cocaine.

According to investigations by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA), Kyrgios admitted to consuming cocaine at a nightclub located in Magaluf during the early hours of June 20. Just two days after that incident, he stepped onto the court for his opening-round match at the Mallorca tournament, where he suffered a straight-sets defeat against fellow Australian Adam Walton.

Following consultations with an independent expert, the ITIA acknowledged that the player used the substance outside of competitive play. Although Kyrgios could have faced a maximum suspension of three months, the penalty was shortened to one month because he entered an approved treatment program. An invoice showed that his treatment began on August 28, allowing his one-month ban to conclude on Thursday, September 3. Consequently, he also forfeits 6,570 euros in prize money.

Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event

When the failed test was made public, Kyrgios stated that he would step away from social media and public view for 28 days to concentrate on recovering his personal wellbeing. Having dropped to 918 in the world rankings, the former world number 13 has only managed to play four singles matches this season due to persistent knee and wrist injuries that have hampered his career in recent years.