ITIA Press Release, June 22, 2022

The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) has confirmed that Bárbara Gatica Avilés, a 25-year-old Chilean tennis player has been provisionally suspended under Article 7.12.1 of the 2022 Tennis Anti-Doping Programme (TADP). The ITIA sent the player a pre-charge notice of an Anti-Doping Rule Violation on 31 May under Article 2.1 of the Programme (presence of a Prohibited Substance in a Player’s Sample) and Article 2.2 (Use of a Prohibited Substance without a valid TUE) and confirming they were provisionally suspended.

The player appealed the provisional suspension, which was denied by the chair of the independent tribunal (William Norris QC) on 17 June 2022.

Ms Gatica, who has a WTA doubles ranking of 167, provided a sample whilst competing at a WTA tournament in Bogota, Colombia in April 2022. That sample was split into A and B samples and the subsequent analysis found that the A sample contained Boldenone and its metabolite. Boldenone is a non-specified prohibited substance listed in the 2022 World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Prohibited List. Adverse Analytical Findings for non-specified substances carry a mandatory provisional suspension.

The player has exercised their right to request that the B sample is analysed to see if it confirms the finding in the A sample. While provisionally suspended, the player is ineligible to compete in or attend any tennis events authorised, organised or sanctioned by the governing bodies of the sport.