Odesnik and the ITF Speak

by Savannah

From Wayne Odesnik:

"The ITF are presently conducting an investigation of me regarding my possession of HGH while in Australia earlier this year.

"I have never used nor taken HGH, or any other banned substance in my life. I am fully co-operating with their investigation and I will have no further comment on the matter until it is concluded."

From The ITF

"Odesnik has not as yet been found guilty of a doping offence under the rules of the TADP (Tennis Anti-Doping Programme) and therefore is allowed to play.

"In order not to prejudice the player's ability to defend himself in his criminal case, the TADP decided to await the outcome of those proceedings rather than run concurrently, but began the process immediately once the decision of the Australian Court was taken.

"The player is entitled to put forward a defence and this can take some time and he has elected not to take a provisional suspension.

"Whether or not we feel this is good for the image of tennis, he has that right and the ITF and ATP have an obligation to honour it."

"The TADP afford every player the right of due process. We believe this is in the long-term best interests of everyone.

SOURCE

By not taking the provisional suspension as others before him have done all Odesnik is proving is that he has no shame.

The statement by Odesnik, who has hired a high octane lawyer, leads me to believe he plans to argue he never tested positive for any PED - I believe he was only tested once last year - and that mere possession is not grounds for suspension. If someone in an official capacity goes for this okey-doke there are a bunch of guys wearing orange jump suits who'll be very interested. I hope we've come a long way from players testing positive for meth or any other substance can make shit up as they go along and get away with it. I'm just sayin'.

Monte Carlo Masters

Juan Martin del Potro is out.
Robin Soderling is out.
Gilles Simon is out.

All of the above is due to injury of some kind.

Andy Murray has been granted a Wild Card.
Richard Gasquet has been granted a Wild Card.

There are two more WC's available to be given out. MD is on Saturday.
Film at 11.

By the way not one American is listed on either the Main or Qualifying Draw entry lists. Since the United States tennis establishment fought hard to abolish this stop on the tour altogether it's not as if the American's are being hypocritical.

I did smile at the attempts of the USTA to market the men's Houston clay event as the beginning of the Dirt Season though.

Miscellany

Jamea Jackson has officially retired and will become an assistant tennis coach at Oklahoma State University. Injuries hampered Jamea's career although she did try to come back to the tour. She was ranked as high as 45 on the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour and led the 2006 American Fed Cup team to its victory over Germany.