Courier makes new doping allegations
Posted: Tuesday January 19, 1999 08:53 AM
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Courier: "I've deducted that there may be some suspicious things going on that I'm unaware of ..." Jack Atley/Allsport |
MELBOURNE, Jan 19 (Reuters) -- Former world number one Jim Courier made explosive new allegations of doping in tennis on Tuesday, saying tennis players were cheating to keep up with the punishing professional tour.
As Australian Open champion Petr Korda began his title defense in Melbourne after escaping a ban for steroid use, Courier told a news conference he was more concerned about blood doping in the sport than steroids.
"I'm much more inclined to have a concern for something that we cannot test for under the current system of testing, which is blood doping," Courier said.
Blood doping, involving blood transfusions to boost an athlete's crucial red cell count, is usually linked to endurance sports such as cycling and cross-country skiing.
The hard-hitting American, once one of the fittest men in the sport and winner of four Grand Slam titles, said he was unable to perform at his peak through the long schedule of events in the year and doubted others could.
"I can't play 35 weeks a year, God knows how many matches, and keep going," he said. "I just can't do it, and I don't think anybody else can either. But they are.
"From that I've deducted that there may be some suspicious things going on that I'm unaware of and that are not being properly sourced out through our testing," he said.
By increasing hemoglobin levels, blood dopers are able to process more oxygen during exertion. There are currently no blood tests used to prevent it, although the International Olympic Committee hopes to introduce one before the Sydney 2000 Games.
"It's clearly prevalent in European sports and most of our tour is in Europe," Courier said.
"By deduction -- and I'm throwing darts, I have no proof, I can't name names, I wouldn't bother naming names -- it just seems a logical way for a player to improve themselves.
"I'll be pretty pissed off in 10 years if I find out players were doing that and I was losing to them," he said.
Courier has led a chorus of player complaints against the lenient treatment Korda received after he tested positive for a steroid at Wimbledon last year.
The 30-year-old Czech faced a minimum one-year ban for steroid use, but escaped with a fine and loss of points after telling an International Tennis Federation panel he had not knowingly taken the drug. The ITF itself is appealing its panel's decision.
"I don't think anyone here or in the locker room or anywhere else will disagree with me when I say that if you test positive for steroids, you should be out of the game," Courier said.
He said Korda had escaped lightly because of a change in the rules last year.
"This shouldn't be considered a witch hunt against Petr. It's a witch hunt against the rules and their enforcement, and we as players are very disappointed," Courier said.
He said it was ironic it was the spindly Korda who tested positive for a banned steroid.
"Of all the players I would have suspected, he's certainly the last, I would say," he said.
He said he was disappointed Korda had not stood up and defended himself at a players' meeting that discussed the doping issue in Melbourne on Saturday.
"If I were innocent you couldn't prevent me from getting up and speaking," Courier said.
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