Banned Troicki to appeal to CAS
Serbian former world number 12 Viktor Troicki will appeal to the Court of Arbitration (CAS) against the 18-month ban slapped on him by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) for refusing to provide a blood sample at this year's Monte Carlo Masters.
Serbian former world number 12 Viktor Troicki will appeal to the Court of Arbitration (CAS) against the 18-month ban slapped on him by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) for refusing to provide a blood sample at this year's Monte Carlo Masters.
"(I will be appealing) for sure," the 27-year-old said on his official website pleading innocence in the doping violation case. "I put my trust in the Court of Arbitration of Sports in Lausanne, I really hope they will look for the truth and find it, which is only one."
Misled
Troicki said he was misled by a doping control officer in Monte Carlo. "I gave the urine samples and told the doctor I was feeling really bad and I believed that drawing blood would make me feel even worse," said Troicki, who helped Serbia win the 2010 Davis Cup.
"The doctor in charge told me that I looked very pale and ill, and that I could skip the test if I wrote an explanation letter to ITF about it. She dictated the letter to me and let me go without giving blood."
An ITF statement said Troicki's actions constituted a "failure and refusal" to provide a blood sample and that his explanation for doing so was "not compelling."
Troicki will be suspended until January 24, 2015 and the announcement came after he lost in the early stages of a Croatian international tournament.