Marin Cilic Tested Positive for a Banned Substance in Munich

BREAKING NEWS

Leading Croatian newspapers are reporting that Marin Cilic tested positive for a banned substance in April during the Munich tournament. Cilic is said to have totally cooperated with the ITF and an agreement was reached that he would not play for three months. The match he "lost" at Wimbledon was actually a tank since he learned of the positive test at that time.

For updates please follow @radosko on Twitter. He's translating the Croatian.

UPDATE

Amy Fetheroff posted a full translation of the Croatian report. Thanks Amy!

The following report appeared on Jutarnji.hr, a credible Croatian news source. This has been translated by Mateja Vidakovic:

Marin Cilic tested positive in a drug test during the ATP tournament in Munich this year. Though no information is yet disclosed by the ITF, Marin’s manager Vincent Stavaux claimed, “There will be no comment until we are able to comment,” indirectly confirming there was a problem.

According to the information available, Marin Cilic failed the drug test during the tournament in April, only two weeks after passing a doping check with flying colors, during the Monte Carlo Masters 1000. When he lost to Ivan Dodig in Munich, he was tested again and confirmed to have an illegal substance in his body.

Reports claim that careless consumption of glucose was to blame for the test coming up positive. Marin was left with no glucose during the Munich tournament, and one of his confidants bought some in a pharmacy. The glucose supposedly had a warning labeled on it for sportsmen. According to sources close to Marin, he failed to read the warning and then subsequently tested positive.

Further supporting this theory is what transpired after Munich. Croatia’s top player agreed to cooperate with the ITF anti-doping agency as soon as he was informed about testing positive. Cilic found out during Wimbledon and therefore forfeited his second round match against Kenny De Schepper. Therefore, his knee injury was a ruse as Marin awaited for the situation to unfold after Wimbledon.

According to Marin’s statement for the Jutarnji list paper, he hopes to be able to play in Montreal. Considering the tournament begins on the 5th of August, there is a theory stating the ITF will suspend Marin for three months, but retroactively. Considering he lost against Dodig on the 2nd of May, the three month suspension could fit from then on up until the beginning of Montreal. Its assumed that the penalty is so lenient due to Marins co-operation with the ITF.

If this retroactive suspension would be the case, then Cilic would be stripped of all the points and prize money he won in the last three months. In this case, Canada would be a new start. The worst case scenario for the Croat would be that his statement about Montreal, and the matching dates, would only be a coincidence. In this case, Cilic has hard times ahead of him as we await for the ITF to issue a statement.