"Contamination from a Kiss": The Unlikely Defense of a Player Caught in Doping
The ITIA has struck again: Gonzalo Oliveira, 30, has been handed a four-year suspension for doping. His justification – a possible contamination "from a kiss or environmental" – did not convince an independent tribunal.
A new doping sanction was issued this Friday. The ITIA, central to the Sinner and Swiatek cases last year, continues to crack down on the tour with a decision concerning player Gonzalo Oliveira, who reached a career-high world ranking of 194 in singles and 77 in doubles.
Born in Portugal, Oliveira had been representing Venezuela in official competition since 2024. He had been provisionally suspended last January 17th for testing positive for methamphetamine during the Challenger tournament in Manzanillo, Mexico.
The 30-year-old player denied the allegations and cited "contamination from a kiss or contamination related to his environment."
Faced with the lack of "clear, convincing, persuasive, or concrete" evidence, an independent tribunal in London imposed a four-year suspension from all tennis-related activities.
The months of suspension he has served since January will be deducted from this sanction. He will be able to return to competition on January 16, 2029, when he will be 33 years old.
Double standards all over again.