Nick Kyrgios, suspended for testing positive for a cocaine derivative
The controversial Australian tennis player ruled out filing an appeal, apologized to his fans, and said he will accept full responsibility for his actions.
Nick Kyrgios during a tournament in Stuttgart, Germany. June 2026
Australian tennis player Nick Kyrgios was temporarily suspended after undergoing a doping test and testing positive for a cocaine derivative.
According to a statement from the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA), an independent body responsible for safeguarding integrity and honesty in tennis, Kyrgios tested positive for benzoylecgonine, a metabolite of cocaine. This substance is strictly prohibited by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).
"The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) has provisionally suspended Australian tennis player Nick Kyrgios under the Tennis Anti-Doping Programme," the ITIA confirmed. "31-year-old Kyrgios provided a sample during an ATP 250 event in Mallorca, Spain, on 22 June 2026. On 17 July 2026, a World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA)-accredited laboratory confirmed the presence of benzoylecgonine, a metabolite of cocaine."
Following the results, Kyrgios was provisionally suspended, a sanction that has been in effect since August 4.
Amid controversy over his poor conduct throughout his career, the Australian tennis player will have the "right" to file an appeal against the suspension, although the player himself has already ruled this out, accepting full responsibility for his actions and apologizing to his fans, as he noted in a story on his Instagram profile.
Kyrgios reached as high as No. 13 in the ATP rankings and reached the 2022 Wimbledon final, losing to Novak Djokovic in what was his best performance at a Grand Slam.
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