The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Evans to pay the price for cocaine ‘mistake’
Tennis: Briton may face long ban after failed test
British tennis player Dan Evans has been suspended by the International Tennis Federation after testing positive for cocaine in April.
Evans, from Birmingham, is ranked 50th in the world and number three in Britain. He will miss Wimbledon next month and could face a ban of up to four years if it is deemed to have enhanced his performance.
The 27-year-old called a press conference in London yesterday where, in a 70-second statement, he said he took the substance out of competition and for reasons completely unrelated to tennis.
Evans said: “This is a very difficult day for me and I wanted to come here in person to tell you face to face. I was notified a few days ago that I failed a drugs test in April where I tested positive for cocaine.
“It’s really important you know this was taken out of competition and the context was completely unrelated to tennis.
“I made a mistake and I must face up to it. I do not condone for one second to anyone that this was acceptable behaviour.
“I’ve let a lot of people down – my family, my coach, my team, sponsors, British tennis and my supporters. I can only deeply apologise from the bottom of my heart. This has been an extremely sad and humbling experience.”
An ITF statement said Evans’ positive test came at the Barcelona Open and the player was charged on June 16 with an anti-doping violation.
Five-time grand slam singles champion Martina Hingis was banned from the sport for two years in 2008 after she also tested positive for cocaine.
Frenchman Richard Gasquet, meanwhile, had been issued with the same suspension in 2009 but it was reduced to little more than two months when the ITF’s tribunal panel ruled he had taken the substance inadvertently.
Evans climbed into the top 50 earlier this year after an excellent upturn in results, which included reaching the last 16 of the Australian Open. In May 2015, he had dropped as low as 772nd.
Former British number one Greg Rusedski tested positive for nandrolone in 2003 but was later cleared.
“It’s very sad news,” said Rusedski. “We make mistakes and things happen like this, but I’m wondering what the authorities will do with him.
“This is not the first time we’ve heard about tennis players getting a ban for cocaine so hopefully he can clean up his life and get help if it’s a problem.
“The ban could be anything from six months to two years so it’s quite a serious charge at the moment. Hopefully he has good representatives who can help him out and hopefully he’ll learn his lesson.” England were left to count the cost of Jason Roy’s dismissal for obstructing the field as South Africa levelled their Twenty20 series with a thrilling threerun victory at Taunton.
Eoin Morgan’s men had to chase down South Africa’s 174 for eight after Surrey seamer Tom Curran had become the fifth England player to take three wickets on his international Twenty20 debut.
But South Africa levelled the three-match series at 1-1 when Liam Dawson failed to connect with the final ball of the match.
The main talking point centred on the dismissal of Roy – who had bounced back to form with 67 from 45 balls – when he was given out by the third umpire with England seemingly heading for victory at 133 for two.
England appeared on course for an unassailable 2-0 series lead at the start of the 15th over when Roy called for a quick single at the non-striker's end.
He was sent back by Liam Livingstone and the throw of Andile Phehlukwayo struck him on his heel as he retreated.
South Africa appealed for obstruction with Roy ending up on the opposite side of the wicket from which he had started, and third umpire Tim Robinson gave the Surrey batsman out on review. It was the first time that such a dismissal had occurred in the history of international Twenty20 cricket.
Roy had endangered many in the capacity 12,500-crowd with his clean hitting. He had lost his place in the England one-day line-up in the Champions Trophy, paying the price for a run of low scores and replaced for the semi-final defeat by Jonny Bairstow. But captain Morgan said after Wednesday’s opening thrashing of South Africa that if Roy stays at the crease for any length of time then England will win.
So it almost proved as he piled the misery on the South African bowlers, particularly Phehlukwayo who was dispatched to the boundary three times in one over.
Roy had a slice of luck on 45 when he almost played on to Tabraiz Shamsi, but he soon brought up his 50 and England’s 100 with a towering 6 off the spinner and Bairstow was in sparkling form again.
The pair had put on 110 in less than 12 overs when Bairstow, having made 47 from 37 balls, chipped Chris Morris to Farhaan Behardien at mid-on to prompt the first signs of concern in England’s ranks.
Roy soon went, Joss Buttler was superbly yorked by Phehlukwayo and Morgan picked out AB de Villiers at mid-wicket as England’s hopes faded as quickly as the light.
England needed 12 runs from the final over but, despite Dawson hitting a boundary off the penultimate ball, Phehlukwayo kept his cool and a dot delivery steered South Africa home.