Hingis will not contest Drug Ban.

Former No. 1 Hingis found guilty of positive cocaine test at Wimbledon, banned 2 years

By ROBERT MILLWARD, AP Sports Writer
January 4, 2008

AP - Jan 4, 4:25 pm EST

LONDON (AP) -- Martina Hingis scribbled the phrase, "All good!" in the comment box on her doping control form at Wimbledon. Six months later, those two words couldn't be further from the truth.

The five-time Grand Slam champion, who is already retired, was banned from tennis for two years Friday when it was announced she was found guilty of testing positive for cocaine at the All England Club.

A three-person, independent tribunal rejected Hingis' defense, calling it "a simple and straightforward case." Her manager said she won't appeal the ruling.

"Since Martina has retired from competitive sports, it makes no sense for her to challenge the judgment," manager Mario Widmer said in Switzerland. "She just isn't going to play anymore."

The failed drug test after Hingis' loss to Laura Granville on June 29 at Wimbledon came to light Nov. 1. That's when the 27-year-old player choked back tears at a news conference while revealing she tested positive for cocaine and said she would leave the sport she once ruled.

That day, she called the accusations "so horrendous, so monstrous," and added, "I believe that I am absolutely, 100 percent innocent."

Hingis' agent did not respond to e-mail and telephone messages requesting comment.

Hingis is the second WTA player suspended for testing positive for cocaine. Lourdes Dominguez Lino of Spain was banned for three months in 2002. One other woman has been suspended since tennis' anti-doping program was formed in 1993: Sesil Karatantcheva was banned for two years in January 2006 after testing positive for the steroid nandrolone.

Hingis drew support from Venus Williams, a six-time Grand Slam title winner and current Wimbledon champion.

"I like Martina. I think she's a nice girl. I was shocked with everyone else," said Williams, who is playing an exhibition tournament in Hong Kong. "For me, personally, I give her the benefit of the doubt."

The suspension runs from Oct. 1, 2007, through Sept. 30, 2009, and Hingis' results at Wimbledon, the U.S. Open and three smaller tournaments last year were wiped out, meaning she must forfeit $129,481 in prize money plus her ranking points.

"It's going to be an element of her record and her legacy that I'm sure she hopes wouldn't be there and, I guess, to some degree does take away something from all of her great accomplishments," WTA Tour chief executive Larry Scott said in a telephone interview.

In the 46-page decision, a copy of which was obtained by The Associated Press, the tribunal wrote that Hingis "reiterated her denial that she had ever knowingly taken cocaine," and "asserted cocaine is a ubiquitous substance which can easily be present in the body through contamination, for example by handling banknotes."
However, the decision handed down Friday did produce some real eye-opening information. Dr. Bruce Goldberger, a University of Florida toxicologist, noted on page 24 that the estimated level of the cocaine metabolite benzoylecgonine (42 nanograms per milliliter) "was such that it would go unreported" in many drug-testing programs, even the U.S. military, "which uses a screening threshold of 150 ng/ml."

In fact, the minimum cutoff sensitivity testing level set by the National Institute on Drug Abuse is 300 ng/ml.

But the ITF said Goldberger's evidence did not cast doubt on the reliability of the laboratory's analysis, and that Hingis was not able to explain how the banned substance entered her system.

Hingis' side also denied that the sample that tested positive was the sample provided by her and presented seven specific criticisms of the drug-testing process.

But, the decision said, "the force of the case against the player was overwhelming and the tribunal's task was ultimately quite simple."

The ruling outlines the drug-testing process and provides a minute-by-minute account of what happened when Hingis provided her sample at Wimbledon -- a result of a random draw that determined the loser of her third-round match against Granville would be tested. Among the details: Hingis wrote "All good!" before signing her name on the doping control form.

Wimbledon was her first tournament after missing 1 1/2 months with hip and back injuries.

"I just didn't want to miss Wimbledon," Hingis said at the time. "Probably at the end of the day, it wasn't, like, the smartest thing."

The former No. 1 player, nicknamed "The Swiss Miss," quit tennis in 2002 because of foot and leg injuries and missed three years' worth of majors. When she returned to the circuit full time in 2006, Hingis reached two Grand Slam quarterfinals, won two smaller tournaments and finished the year No. 7.

This season was more difficult, and she was ranked No. 19 at the end of last season.

At the height of her powers, Hingis was brilliant at controlling points and working every angle. She was the youngest major champion of the 20th century when she won the 1997 Australian Open at 16, and later that year she became the youngest woman at No. 1. She went on to win Wimbledon and the U.S. Open that season, too, coming within a loss in the French Open final of a calendar-year Grand Slam.

"Her record is so stellar," Scott said. "The warmth that she enjoys from so many fans around the world ... runs very deep, and over time I don't think this is going to have a very detrimental effect on her legacy."


POINTS TO NOTE:
1. Lourdes Dominiguez Lino was banned for cocaine only for 3 MONTHS back in 2002.
2. If she wanted to come back, she could at the end of 2009. Hingis would have just turned 29.
3. The quantity of cocaine found WAS EXTREMELY SMALL. So small that infact, most tests would not have even detected it.
4. Hingis scribbled ''all good'' on the comment of her sample. There wasn't even an element of doubt in her mind that she'd passed the test.
5. Hingis really isn't coming back this time.....farewell.

martina is so nice i don't care if she took cocaina or not, she does not deserve this horrendous career's final

we love you so much martina!

That is VERY interesting that the amount was extremely small. I'm assuming that could mean one of two things: One, it really did get into her system accidentally or someone put a little in a drink and she was unaware, or Two, she really did knowingly do cocaine, but it was a long time before the test and therefore only a minute amount was still in her system.

Either way, i just don't see how she could give up at a time like this and not defend herself. Forget her career, the people and fans who loved her will love her no matter what, but what about her name? She doesn't care that her name is now associated with an illegal substance?

That is VERY interesting that the amount was extremely small. I'm assuming that could mean one of two things: One, it really did get into her system accidentally or someone put a little in a drink and she was unaware, or Two, she really did knowingly do cocaine, but it was a long time before the test and therefore only a minute amount was still in her system.

Either way, i just don't see how she could give up at a time like this and not defend herself. Forget her career, the people and fans who loved her will love her no matter what, but what about her name? She doesn't care that her name is now associated with an illegal substance?


I say B since she hasnt really denied it in the media with any passion. Why take cocaine when your still playing? Its really disapointing to me. Total lack of judgement on her part if its true. :confused:

Im tired of the anti-doping agencies... one little drop make you a thief...

Claudio :wavey:

One got banned 3 months for taking a substantial amount of Coke. The other got 2 years for a very minute amount of it.

Can anyone explain what's wrong with this picture? :tape:

One got banned 3 months for taking a substantial amount of Coke. The other got 2 years for a very minute amount of it.

Can anyone explain what's wrong with this picture? :tape:

I don't get it either!!!!

When the...........

"estimated level of the cocaine metabolite benzoylecgonine (42 nanograms per milliliter) "was such that it would go unreported" in many drug-testing programs, even the U.S. military"

:confused:

Whaaat? I didn't know that about LDL.

fuck coke is gooood :drool:

Excuse for my language below...
I FUCKING can't believe Martina receives such 'horrendous" castigation for the extremely small amount of cocain found in her body that would have gone undetected in most doping tests, seriously...Whoever has judged unfairly on Martina should apologize for they are ignorant of the whole picture. I have heard a few of my friends around me named Hingis as "The Doping Queen' which pisses me off, she truly doesn't FUCKING deserve such an abysmal end of career.

I may be a little biased, but the facts speak for itself...:sad: Please forgive me for over-reacting for Martina, the tennis queen in my heart...

omggggggggg, so much money down the drain

Tina's been caught doing a line of coke at a party ... so f*cking what?

Pretty much most of the government and half of the royal family were there doing it as well.

It was a small sampling because it hadn't been taken recently. So she's not contesting it any further. Which means in my mind that the testing commission is the one with truth on their side, not Hingis and her former claims of innocence.

Had she come clean and admitted it from the get-go, I would feel she deserved a second chance. But she's handled it wrong.

fuck coke is gooood :drool:

CLUB KID.

I don't understand the amount of time given for LDL, were the rules different at that time? What were her exact 'numbers on the drug test' in comparison to Hingis'?

Dominguez Lino :help:

Support Hingis Forever

When she has announced taht she was positive she has said that she didnot want to catch. Its Martina she react as this, but in few time, i think she will want to defend her name

One got banned 3 months for taking a substantial amount of Coke. The other got 2 years for a very minute amount of it.

Can anyone explain what's wrong with this picture? :tape:

I don't get it either!!!!

When the...........

"estimated level of the cocaine metabolite benzoylecgonine (42 nanograms per milliliter) "was such that it would go unreported" in many drug-testing programs, even the U.S. military"

:confused:

I don't understand the amount of time given for LDL, were the rules different at that time? What were her exact 'numbers on the drug test' in comparison to Hingis'?
One must consider the climate towards substance abuse let it be doping or drugs is dramatically changed over the last years. Doping related scandals in sports over the years, especially in cycling, have led to a much harder approach by the anti drug organisations in an attempt to counter the trend and have led to much severe punishments.

That's why a cocaine abuse ban in 2002 could be 3 months where it's 2 years now.

Oh well let her put it behind her and enjoy her retirement :worship:

Shame about the money...thats bs IMO..

Dominguez Lino was apologetic and admitted she'd taken it and why she'd done it when she was found out, maybe that's why she got a lesser penalty.

Karatantcheva was pregnant, and Hingis was adament she didn't take anything.

If you admit to a crime and then found guilty the punishment tends to be more lenient than pleading not guilty and then been found to be guilty.

fuck coke is gooood :drool:
Your remark proves your lack of intelligence. In fact you're a complete idiot.

The use of cocaine may very well be considered a harmless recreational habit. For the rich and famous this may be true, however I seriously doubt it. For us ordinary people this habit has led to the destruction of their life (socially, financially, ...).

Sports persons act as role models in our society. When the use of cocaine by these role models is condoned by the society, what signal does this give towards children. It's OK to do cocaine because tennis stars do it or it's not OK because my parents say so.

I certainly don't want my children to get such mixed signals and therefore approve a zero-tolerance policy regarding substance abuse for all of society's role models.

We will never forget You:)

Your remark proves your lack of intelligence. In fact you're a complete idiot.

The use of cocaine may very well be considered a harmless recreational habit. For the rich and famous this may be true, however I seriously doubt it. For us ordinary people this habit has led to the destruction of their life (socially, financially, ...).

Sports persons act as role models in our society. When the use of cocaine by these role models is condoned by the society, what signal does this give towards children. It's OK to do cocaine because tennis stars do it or it's not OK because my parents say so.

I certainly don't want my children to get such mixed signals and therefore approve a zero-tolerance policy regarding substance abuse for all of society's role models.

You are the idiot. :)

This just emphasizes the fact that the only people who think this reflects badly on Martina are people who didn't like her anyway. So, fuck them.

Your remark proves your lack of intelligence. In fact you're a complete idiot.

The use of cocaine may very well be considered a harmless recreational habit. For the rich and famous this may be true, however I seriously doubt it. For us ordinary people this habit has led to the destruction of their life (socially, financially, ...).

Sports persons act as role models in our society. When the use of cocaine by these role models is condoned by the society, what signal does this give towards children. It's OK to do cocaine because tennis stars do it or it's not OK because my parents say so.

I certainly don't want my children to get such mixed signals and therefore approve a zero-tolerance policy regarding substance abuse for all of society's role models.

and you are a complete windbag - shut the fuck up please.

sports stars do it, pop stars do it, politicians do it -
damn even the church and the royals are at it.

I am not condoning it, there is nothing clever about it.

It can lead to addiction, asshole-it-is, and many other such problems.

We are big enough, and old enough to decide for ourselves thank you very much.

This just emphasizes the fact that the only people who think this reflects badly on Martina are people who didn't like her anyway. So, fuck them.

What if Martina admitted she'd taken cocaine? You'd still say 'we love you martina', and the supposed 'hater's' would still call her a drugs cheat, so things would be no different. She'd still retire and still be banned.

What if Martina admitted she'd taken cocaine? You'd still say 'we love you martina', and the supposed 'hater's' would still call her a drugs cheat, so things would be no different. She'd still retire and still be banned.

I wouldn't think any less of her if she had taken it. That would make me a hypocrite. :) I would have thought the timing was a little stupid, but the small amount involved puts a question mark over that. She'd still be vastly more worthy of respect than, say, Steffica Greles.

Dominguez Lino was apologetic and admitted she'd taken it and why she'd done it when she was found out, maybe that's why she got a lesser penalty.

Karatantcheva was pregnant, and Hingis was adament she didn't take anything.

If you admit to a crime and then found guilty the punishment tends to be more lenient than pleading not guilty and then been found to be guilty.
WRONG :rolleyes:

Sorry, but contrition had nothing to do with the difference in penalities. The first case was handled under the old rules that didn't mandate the penalty. Sesil's and Marti's were after the ITF (which handles anti-doping on behalf of the WTA and ATP as well) adopted the WADA Code, which does mandate a 2 year penalty for a first offense.

And as you so clearly don't know WTF you're talking about here, let me enlighten you to another detail. Whether it was right or wrong to claim pregnancy (and I don't know if Sesil was really pregnant) this was the only thing other than her proving that Person X doped her drink or food or having a specific supplier to rat out that would have made a difference re. nandrolone.

Had she gotten down on her hands and knees and either pled guilty or (what I consider the most likely 2B true) said that she took supplements which presumably didn't list all the ingredients, it wouldn't have reduced the 2 year penalty for a first offense by an hour.

the more Scott opens his mouth the more I hate him.

WRONG :rolleyes:

Sorry, but contrition had nothing to do with the difference in penalities. The first case was handled under the old rules that didn't mandate the penalty. Sesil's and Marti's were after the ITF (which handles anti-doping on behalf of the WTA and ATP as well) adopted the WADA Code, which does mandate a 2 year penalty for a first offense.

And as you so clearly don't know WTF you're talking about here, let me enlighten you to another detail. Whether it was right or wrong to claim pregnancy (and I don't know if Sesil was really pregnant) this was the only thing other than her proving that Person X doped her drink or food or having a specific supplier to rat out that would have made a difference re. nandrolone.

Had she gotten down on her hands and knees and either pled guilty or (what I consider the most likely 2B true) said that she took supplements which presumably didn't list all the ingredients, it wouldn't have reduced the 2 year penalty for a first offense by an hour.

get you Mr high and mighty.

had you read my post properly, or your grasp of english be better, did I or did I not use the word MAYBE? I didn't claim to know the exact reason for it.

If Hingis was so bothered about this ban, she could contest it. She isn't because she is either guilty, or she really doesn't care. I don't know which the reason is and it makes no ends to me what the actual reason is, the same groups of people would still form the same opinion regardless

Maybe she knows how the cocaine got into her system and someone else is involved, but doesn't want to reveal or explain it... She apparently said after the press conference in November that she doesn't want to answer any questions because she feared that she might 'insult' someone...? :confused:

had you read my post properly, or your grasp of english be better, did I or did I not use the word MAYBE? I didn't claim to know the exact reason for it.

OK, fair enough. (Sorry for jumping down your throat, I'm actually pissed off @ the ITF for accepting the WADA Code without demanding some flexibility regarding the penalties). But you've been here a long time, and the reasons for the length of Sesil's suspension has been discussed in many threads (such as about whether her age @ the time should have made a difference). So you MIGHT have noted the lack of flexibility allowed by now?

OK, fair enough. (Sorry for jumping down your throat, I'm actually pissed off @ the ITF for accepting the WADA Code without demanding some flexibility regarding the penalties). But you've been here a long time, and the reasons for the length of Sesil's suspension has been discussed in many threads (such as about whether her age @ the time should have made a difference). So you MIGHT have noted the lack of flexibility allowed by now?

You would expect there to be some difference in penalties for taking something like nandralone and taking cocaine. Yes, it does seem quite stupid, but we don't decide what happens.

As for Sesil, i believe she deserved her ban. If she was pregnant I suppose it was a reasonable enough excuse to make, but if she wasn't pregnant (which she more than likely wasn't) it makes it even worse that not only did she lie she concocted a story to cover it up somewhat. Look at sprinter Kelli White, she did the same by saying she had narcolepsy her reason for taking a banned substance.

If I were Hingis, and I know I didn't take it cocaine, i'd be protesting my innonence, retired or not. It's not as though she doesn't have the time or money to do things.

It was a small sampling because it hadn't been taken recently. So she's not contesting it any further. Which means in my mind that the testing commission is the one with truth on their side, not Hingis and her former claims of innocence.

Had she come clean and admitted it from the get-go, I would feel she deserved a second chance. But she's handled it wrong.

Whatever, I really believe she realized she would have to leave the game in the near future as she was continually getting injured. Her body was just not up to the rigors of todays power game. Had she made the effort Justine did to strengthen her body, perhaps she could have competed more with the big girls. Martina either did not believe she really had to change her game, or was too lazy to make the effort. Perhaps success came too early for her? Still, she has had a great career no matter the truth of the cocaine issue.

Martina, I don't care if you're a coke head or not . I still love you! :hearts:

What will protesting her innocence do though? It wont make her fans think she's less guilty, or more innocent. The people who hate her will still hate her and say she's guilty. She wastes hundreds of thousands in legal fees, that while she can afford, can find better use in crazy cocaine parties with celebrities. ;) She's retired and I dont think fighting this will end up in her somehow clearing her name OR changing anyone's minds by wasting her money and time.

Martina's rich and she was an all time great player before this scandal.

I wouldn't waste my time fighting this either if I were her.

Nice words from Venus I note - it's amazing how much has changed in the last ten years !

im really shocked she hasnt fought it!

One of the few things we have in this world is our good name. I understand how people think it's smart not to contest it but honestly I couldn't ever seeing just letting something stay on my record for life that was false when I had the time, & money to try to fight it. It would be different if I didn't have the money. :shrug:

in my opinion, she did not fight is an implication that she did take the cocaine, still rather sad to see her go out like this, i thought she was going to win at least 20 slams in 1997 .......

I hope in time she does fight to comeback cause i'm a dreamer.