Canas's drug ban is cut on appeal

[Bruce]

Guillermo Canas has had his two-year ban for failing a drugs test reduced to 15 months after an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

The Argentine, 28, will now be able to return to competition on 10 September.

The CAS agreed Canas had not knowingly taken a banned diuretic when he was given medicine by staff at the Mexican Open in February 2005.

However, the court noted he failed to check the product and therefore his negligence was "not significant".

Canas was sentenced in August last year after lodging an appeal with an independent Tennis Anti-Doping Program tribunal.

Though the CAS decided to shorten his ban it rejected his request for it to be overturned.

The panel said: "A mistake in the medication was made not by the player, but rather by the tournament staff.

"Canas took the medication he received without reviewing the content of the box, even though he knew it had been through several hands before being delivered to him.

"The player had a duty of utmost caution."

The CAS also overturned the ATP's decision to invalidate Canas' results for the eight tournaments he played in after the Acapulco event.

At the time of his ban, the Argentine was ranked 10th in the world and had won six ATP Tour career titles.

[Bruce]

CAS reduces Canas' doping ban by 9 months




LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) — Guillermo Canas' two-year doping ban was cut to 15 months Tuesday by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

CAS, sport's highest judicial body, partially upheld Canas' appeal, saying he wasn't entirely at fault for the doping violation after testing positive on Feb. 21, 2005, in a tournament in Acapulco, Mexico.

Canas tested positive for the prohibited substance hydrochlorothiazide (HCT) — a diuretic.

Canas' ban will now end Sept. 10, 2006.

"A mistake in the delivery of the medication was made not by the player, but rather by the tournament staff," the CAS arbitration panel ruled.

But the Lausanne-based court rejected Canas' request to have his suspension lifted, noting that Canas "took the medication he received without reviewing the content of the box, even though he knew that the medication had been through several hands before being delivered to him."

Canas was ranked No. 10 when the ATP Tour banned him from competition until June 11, 2007.

Canas has said he never knowingly ingested a banned substance. Diuretics increase urine production and are used to treat patients with renal problems. They also are misused to mask the presence of other banned substances such as steroids.

A French Open quarterfinalist last year, Canas has won six ATP Tour events in his career. He last played in June 2005.

CAS ruled that none of Canas' results before his doping suspension should be disqualified.
Copyright 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

[Laury]

That´s great news! Cañas will be playing this year!

[Lisa]

That is good news

But, it's still so sad that he has been off the tour for so long so something that wasn't all his fault

It seems the body have felt they had to keep his ban (not overturn it totally) as doing so would embarrass them.

Unfortunate for Canas.

[Laury]

I wonder why they did not stop the ban inmediatelly, and he has to wait until September?

[Catriel]

Vamos Guillermo!!!!!



I was wondering the same, but I think they can´t assume they were wrong, and let him play inmediately, because every sanction in the future may be "weak". I mean, the players will lose respect for the controls and the stewards if they have this in his back: ban a player for a lot of time and then they apollogize.
Now, it feels like Guillermo is still banned.

[robert]

This is the best news I have heard in months. Canas is my favourite player and it will be wonderful to have him competing on the ATP tour from September. It is a disappointment that the ban wasn't lifted immediately but I think efforts are being made to set a precedent that player negligence in failing to scrutinise the content of whatever medication or product he or she may have taken is no defence. Disqualifications of this nature are imposed as a deterrent and history has shown in other sports that penalties of this nature are effective.
On a lighter note, Willy has undoubtedly been working extremely hard on his physical conditioning in his absence from the tour and if any player can bounce back after a long hiatus,Canas certainly can.

[Bruce]

I agree with Robert, I think he can be figthing high in the GS during 2007 again. I love to see him playing against Tim Henman.