Overview
- Max Purcell, a two-time Grand Slam doubles champion, received an 18-month ban for exceeding the allowable limit of intravenous infusions in December 2023.
- The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) reduced his sanction by 25% due to his full cooperation during the investigation.
- Purcell will forfeit results and prize money from December 16, 2023, to February 3, 2024, and is barred from participating in ITIA-sanctioned events until June 11, 2026.
- Investigators found WhatsApp messages showing Purcell discussed ways to justify the infusions, including feigning illness, highlighting the broader scope of anti-doping intelligence efforts.
- The case has sparked debate over consistency in anti-doping sanctions, with Purcell's penalty being compared to shorter bans for other high-profile players.