LONDON, December 20, 2024 (ITIA Press Release)
The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) today confirms that Russian tennis player Daniil Savelev has accepted a two-year suspension under the Tennis Anti-Doping Programme (TADP).
Savelev, who reached a career-high world doubles ranking of 1486 in August 2022, tested positive for prohibited substance meldonium in July 2024. Meldonium is prohibited under the TADP, in the category of Hormone and Metabolic Modulators (section S4 [4.4] of the 2024 World Anti-Doping Agency Prohibited List).
The ITIA sent the player a pre-charge notice of an Anti-Doping Rule Violation (ADRV) on 20 August 2024 under Article 2.1 of the TADP (presence of a Prohibited Substance in a Player’s Sample) and/or Article 2.2 (Use of a Prohibited Substance without a valid Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE)) and the Player has been provisionally suspended since this date.
Following interviews and correspondence with the ITIA, Savelev admitted to ingesting meldonium tablets, confusing family medication for supplements of a similar appearance. All factors, including the levels of meldonium found in the player’s sample, were considered, and the scenario was verified by an independent scientific expert as plausible.
The ITIA accepted that the violation was not intentional, but that Savelev did not take any steps to mitigate the risk of an inadvertent ADRV. As such, a two-year suspension was offered to the player, who accepted the sanction – waiving their right to a hearing before an independent tribunal.
Time served under provisional suspension is credited against the period of ineligibility. As such, Savelev’s suspension will end on 19 August 2026.
During the period of ineligibility, Savelev is prohibited from playing in, coaching at, or attending any tennis event authorised or sanctioned by the members of the ITIA (ATP, ITF, WTA, Tennis Australia, Fédération Française de Tennis, Wimbledon and USTA) or any national association.