Australian tennis star, Nick Kyrgios, has been provisionally suspended by the International Tennis Integrity Agency after testing positive for cocaine.
The 31-year-old submitted a sample during a tournament in Spain on June 22. The test later detected benzoylecgonine, a metabolite of cocaine.
Kyrgios acknowledged the offence in a statement shared on his Instagram Stories, apologising to his friends and family and accepting responsibility for what he described as a “huge mistake.”
“I’m not going to make excuses, but I do want to give some context about where I’ve been. The last couple of years of injuries have taken a huge toll on me, both physically and mentally,” he said.
The former world No. 13 also announced that he would withdraw from social media and public life for 28 days.
The ITIA said Kyrgios has the right to appeal the provisional suspension, although he had not done so as of the time of its statement.
“Cocaine is a stimulant and substance of abuse on the WADA Prohibited List and is banned in competition under the Tennis Anti-Doping Programme. If taken out of competition, reduced sanctions apply for substances of abuse,” the ITIA said.
“Because of the nature of the substance, a provisional suspension is mandatory and has been in place since 4 August 2026.”
Kyrgios, who became one of tennis’ most recognisable figures during his career, reached the Wimbledon final in 2022 before losing to Novak Djokovic.
His career has also been disrupted by injuries and disciplinary issues. He has featured in only four singles matches this year and has fallen to 919th in the world rankings.
The Australian received a wildcard to compete in doubles at Wimbledon this year but was eliminated in the opening round.
