LONDON, September 12, 2024 (ITIA Press Release)

The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) today confirms that Nicolas Zanellato, a 22-year-old tennis player from Brazil, has been provisionally suspended under the Tennis Anti-Doping Programme (TADP).

The ITIA sent the player a pre-charge notice of an Anti-Doping Rule Violation on 12 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)).

Zanellato, who reached a career-high world singles ranking of 458 in April 2024, provided an in-competition sample while competing in an ATP Challenger event in Ibagué, Colombia, on 25 June 2024.

The sample was split into A and B samples and the subsequent analysis found that the A sample contained boldenone, which is prohibited under the TADP, in the category of Anabolic Agents (section S1 [1.1] of the 2024 World Anti-Doping Agency Prohibited List). Boldenone is a non-Specified Substance, and Zanellato did not possess a valid TUE for the substance. Analysis of the B sample has since confirmed the finding in the A sample.

Findings for non-Specified Substances carry a mandatory provisional suspension – in Zanellato’s case, this has been in effect from 12 August 2024.

On 20 August 2024, Zanellato exercised their right under the TADP to appeal the provisional suspension before an independent tribunal chair. On 22 August 2024, the chair heard oral argument from the player and the ITIA, before dismissing the appeal on the basis that the evidence provided fell “well short” of the required threshold.

While provisionally suspended, Zanellato 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.