AMATEUR TENNIS PLAYER SUSPENDED AND FINED FOR DOPING

On 29 July 2026, Swiss Sport Integrity (SSI) has imposed an 18-month suspension on an amateur tennis player for the possession and attempted use of clomiphene and ordered him to pay a fine.

During postal inspections, two packages addressed to an amateur tennis player containing the prohibited substance clomiphene were seized by the Federal Office for Customs and Border Security (FOCBS) and forwarded to SSI.

In accordance with the Federal Act on the Promotion of Sport, SSI ordered the destruction of these products at the individual’s expense as part of an administrative proceeding. The athlete was subsequently informed, during the disciplinary process, that the possession and use of prohibited substances constituted a potential violation of the Swiss Olympic Anti-Doping Statute.

During the proceedings, the amateur athlete explained that the order was not related to athletic performance but rather to his general well-being. He successfully demonstrated that he had attempted to use the prohibited substance for health reasons. Consequently, as part of the results management process, SSI imposed an eighteen-month suspension, the disqualification of results, and a fine of 120 Swiss francs on the athlete. The suspension is effective from 24 March 2026 and applies to all sports and all roles within sport worldwide.

SSI reminds all athletes that the importation of doping substances is strictly prohibited. Even recreational athletes can be suspended for anti-doping rule violations; these rules apply regardless of an athlete’s competitive level, age, or nationality.

We advise and represent clients in doping cases in Switzerland, and further information is available from either Dr Lucien Valloni or Kim Gamboni by emailing them at valloni@valloni.ch and gamboni@valloni.ch respectively.