American tennis player Jenson Brooksby's suspension for missing three doping tests will come to an end on March 3, much earlier than originally expected, according to the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA).
In an announcement made on Thursday, the ITIA revealed that they had reached an agreement with Brooksby to reduce his ban from 18 months to 13 months. The reduction will be implemented retrospectively, starting from the alleged date of the third missed test.
Upon hearing the news, the 23-year-old Californian expressed his elation and relief, stating, 'It gives me tremendous joy and relief that I can get back to doing what I love.' Brooksby, who is currently based in Texas, has made significant strides in his career, having reached a career-high ranking of No. 33 in the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) rankings.
'The last 13 months have been exhausting, and a nightmare I don't wish on anyone,' Brooksby added, likely referring to the challenges and uncertainties he faced during the suspension.
The ITIA initially imposed the ban in October, stating that Brooksby had missed three drug tests within a year, thereby violating the anti-doping regulations. The independent tribunal responsible for reviewing the case concluded that two of the missed tests were validly caused by Brooksby's 'whereabouts failures,' while the degree of fault for the third test was deemed to be high.
Under antidoping rules, athletes can face penalties even without a positive drug test if they have three instances of 'whereabouts failures' within a 12-month period.
However, the decision to reduce Brooksby's suspension followed the submission of new information regarding the circumstances surrounding the missed tests. This information was provided as part of Brooksby's appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Switzerland. Subsequently, his appeal has been withdrawn, and the ITIA has reevaluated their assessment of his level of fault in consultation with the World Anti-Doping Agency.
Brooksby's most recent appearance on the professional tennis circuit was at the Australian Open in January 2023. Notably, he made a significant impact by defeating the No. 2 seed, Casper Ruud, in the second round. It was after this tournament that Brooksby decided to part ways with his longtime coach, Joseph Gilbert.
As Brooksby eagerly awaits the end of his suspension, he can now focus on resuming his career and striving towards new achievements on the tennis court.
