Nick Kyrgios Faces One-Month Suspension for Cocaine Use

Australian tennis player Nick Kyrgios has been handed a one-month suspension after admitting to cocaine use outside of competition. The suspension, which is backdated to August 4, allows him to return to the sport on September 3, provided he completes a treatment program. This decision follows a positive test during an ATP event in Mallorca, Spain. Kyrgios' case highlights the strict anti-doping regulations in tennis and the consequences of violating them. For more details on the circumstances surrounding his suspension and the implications for his career, read the full article.

By Narendra Chaudhary Sep 4, 2026, 14:18 IST

Kyrgios Accepts Suspension

File image of Australian Tennis player Nick Kyrgios(Photo: @tennismasterr/X)

New Delhi, Sep 4: Australian tennis star Nick Kyrgios has agreed to a one-month suspension following his admission of cocaine use outside of competition, as per tennis anti-doping regulations.

The 31-year-old tested positive for cocaine during an ATP Tour event in Mallorca, Spain, in June. The substance is banned during competition and results in a provisional suspension.

Since Kyrgios has been provisionally suspended since August 4, his one-month ineligibility period is retroactively applied from that date, concluding on September 3.

According to WADA guidelines, the standard suspension for such a violation is three months, but it can be reduced to one month if the athlete agrees to a treatment program sanctioned by the ITIA.

Kyrgios has enrolled in a treatment program, allowing his suspension to end on September 3, contingent upon successful completion. He will forfeit any prize money and ranking points earned at the Mallorca event.

"Based on the conditions outlined in this decision, the Player is subject to a one-month ineligibility period under TADP Article 10.2.4.1. This conditional suspension began on August 4, 2026, and will end on September 3, allowing him to return to tennis, subject to the conditions specified in this decision," stated the ITIA.

"Should the Player fail to meet these conditions, an additional two-month suspension will be enforced by the ITIA in a future ruling," it further noted.

Kyrgios was required to submit a urine sample for anti-doping testing while competing in the men’s singles at the ATP 250 event in Mallorca from June 21 to 27.

In discussions with ITIA investigators, Kyrgios acknowledged using cocaine in the early hours of June 20, after attending a party at his hotel on June 19. He later went to a nightclub in Magaluf with acquaintances from the party, where he consumed cocaine provided by another individual before returning to his hotel around 3 AM on June 20.

The ITIA consulted an independent scientific expert from a WADA-accredited lab, who confirmed that Kyrgios' explanation aligned with the cocaine levels detected in his sample. Consequently, the ITIA accepted that his cocaine use occurred outside of competition.