Russian teenager banned from tennis for nine months following anti-doping breach
The 17-year-old Russian player has already served nine months of the ban and is appealing
The Russian teenager has been banned from tennis for one year after testing positive for the banned substance clenbuterol, a prohibited stimulant found in some forms of dog food.
The 17-year-old Russian player Alexei Markov was banned from tennis following his positive test for anabolic steroids following a hearing in Paris on Thursday.
Alexei Markov
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“We have been informed by the Russian Anti-Doping Authority that Alexei Markov has been found guilty of a breach of the WADA code,” a statement from the Moscow-based WADA read. “The suspension is for one year.”
Markov, who plays for the Novak Djokovic tennis and Davis Cup teams, will be allowed to return to tennis following the sanction.
On Wednesday, Markov’s coach Vladislav Ternyak told BBC Sport’s Chris Palmer that his pupil had taken the banned substance before a match in April and, as a result, his suspension will run concurrently with his appeal.
“We received the news late on Tuesday, and the anti-doping authorities were informed of it on Wednesday afternoon,” Ternyak said. “On Thursday we received the decision.
“The ban from tennis will be for one year from August 1st. Alexei will have to participate in tennis in 2017, and the appeal process will start after that.
“For me, it’s important to get the punishment and the sanction behind him. We are already discussing the possibility of him joining the Davis Cup team as an alternate. This is something we have been discussing for a year now.
“If it is confirmed that he is not involved in the doping and has no knowledge of this, then we will be in a much better place to try to help him get to the top of his game.”
Markov is likely to be banned permanently from Russian tennis following his positive test, but he has already served nine months of the ban for his breach.
He was initially banned for five years, but