"The fact that Novak Djokovic was only warned is unreal" - Former Olympian aghast at Serb's criticism of pre-match doping test at Davis Cup
Novak Djokovic has come under criticism from former professional road racing cyclist Marc Madiot after the Serb had expressed his anger about being subjected to a doping test prior to his Davis Cup match against Cameron Norrie.
While Djokovic went on to beat Norrie in the singles tie at the quarterfinals, he had revealed after the win that he had been approached by WADA 90 minutes before his clash and was told to go for doping control. Having experienced nothing like that in his career before, the World No. 1 was left fuming by the "illogical" decision.
"I had a brief discussion with people from the anti-doping agency. I didn't believe that they made such a decision, in 20 and more years of my career, it never happened to me that an hour and a half before the match, I needed to go for doping control. I have my own routine. I don't need that distraction, to have my urine and blood taken, to think about whether I can give urine at that moment. Illogical situation and decision," Djokovic said.
Addressing the situation, Madiot, who represented France at the 1980 Olympics, called for the 24-time Grand Slam champion's suspension from tennis for refusing to take the test. According to Madiot, cyclists do not have such liberty to refuse a rest before a race as it would be considered an "automatic positive test."
"There are rules of testing before and after competition. If the anti-doping body is doing its job, Mr Novak Djokovic must be suspended. He refused a test before the match and did it after. In cycling, you are subjected to a test and if you refuse, you are automatically positive. If that is the case, you are sanctioned. You don’t have the right to refuse testing, that’s the rule,” he told Les Grandes Gueules du Sport on RMC, as quoted by Express.
It should be noted that Madiot is wrong on this count, as the ITIA has confirmed that Djokovic did not refuse any tests. Marc Madiot further lamented that there are some substances that stay in the body only for a limited period of time, meaning their trace cannot be found by testing players only after the match.
Under such circumstances, the Frenchman found it "unreal" to see the World No. 1 let off with only a warning.
"In the assortment of doping products there are those that can be detected for a very limited period of time. If you don’t test yourself before the start, during the match, their traces can be erased in the body. That is why testing was introduced before the competition. The fact that he was only warned is unreal," he added.
Novak Djokovic: "I support testing myself or anyone - a hundred times"
It should also be noted that Novak Djokovic made it exceedingly clear that he was not against testing players by any means. The only concession the Serb demands is that players are not tested before the match, as it could become a distraction and interrupt their pre-match routines.
"I support testing myself or anyone - a hundred times, no problem, but not before the match. When I'm done, come, test, I didn't see any reason or logic, but it is what it is - now I'm going to draw blood, but I hope they change such decisions. It's a shame what they did," Djokovic said.