Doping offences in male professional tennis: how does sanction affect players’ career?

BACKGROUND: The use of performance enhancing drugs is still a major problem in competitive sports. Even though tennis is not affected by systematic doping, there is lack of scientific evidence on the effect of sanctions on players` career. The aim of this study was to analyze male tennis players’ career after a doping sanction. METHODS: All doping offences committed by male professional tennis players during 2003–2014 were registered from the International Tennis Federation records and analyzed considering three ranking positions: at sanction date, the peak career position, and the highest position after doping violation. RESULTS: Forty-six players (aged 26.04 ± 3.48 years) committed 47 doping offences in a 14-year period with an average ineligibility time of 11.13 ± 9.90 months. Ranking position at sanction date averaged 409.53 ± 437.53 (median 266); the highest career position averaged 201.12 ± 293.96 (median 83) and the highest career position after doping violation was 350.85 ± 441.38 (median 156). Elite players committed less doping offences than players beyond the 100° ranking position (29.78 and 70.21 %, respectively; p < 0.01). Most players (72.34 %) reached their career highest position before the doping sanction (p = 0.01). The average time to retirement was 35.76 ± 31.03 months, while 12 % did not return to professional tennis competition after the doping offence. CONCLUSIONS: Most suspended tennis players were not elite players. Doping sanction seems to significantly affect male tennis players’ career. Only a minority of sanctioned players could reach their peak ranking position after the doping offence and suspension may accelerate the retirement process.