“My conscience is clear with God as my witness” – Mikael Ymer suspended for 18 months for missing 3 anti-doping tests

World No 51 Mikael Ymer has been suspended by the International Tennis Federation for a period of 18 months after missing three out-of-competition tests during a 12-month period.

The 24-year-old Swede posted a message on social media in which he laid down the facts, which included him getting cleared by an independent tribunal, following which the ITF asked the Court of Arbitration for Sport to reach a different decision.

“In January 2022, the ITF charged me with a potential anti-doping rule violation for having 3 missed out of competition test attempts in a 12-month period. I fought that charge at a hearing, and was cleared by an independent tribunal of 3 arbitrators in June of 2022.” Ymer said in his post on Twitter.

“The ITF appealed that decision despite the fact that the 3 independent arbitrators who cleared me were appointed under its own rules, and asked the Court of Arbitration for Sport to reach a different decision on the same facts under which I had already been cleared. Yesterday, I learned that the Court of Arbitration for Sports has suspended me from professional tennis for 18 months, despite never having used nor been accused of using banned substances. Having already been cleared once, and wholeheartedly standing by the fact that I do not feel that the 3rd offence was committed, I find their decision to try me again and subsequently find me guilty, unfair. On top of that, I find it difficult to comprehend that they found an 18 month suspension to be a just punishment. I understand that these rules have been put in place to protect the integrity of our sport, and that they are there for a reason. However, I do not believe I broke those rules, and my conscience is clear with God as my witness.”

Ymer is the second notable ATP player to be banned by the ITF this year, following American Jenson Brooksby who was charged with breaking the whereabouts rule three times in a 12-month period.

Ymer, whose elder brother Elias, aged 27, also competes on the pro tour, peaked at No 50 in the world rankings earlier this year. He has reached one ATP singles final and just reached the third round at Wimbledon earlier this month.

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