Exclusive: Marinko Matosevic responds to four-year blood doping ban

(Getty/Robert Prezioso)

Former Australian player Marinko Matosevic has released a statement in response to being handed a four-year ban by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA).

On Monday, an independent tribunal determined that Matosevic committed five anti-doping rule violations between 2018 and 2020, including the use of a prohibited method through blood doping (while an active player) and facilitating another player to blood dope, providing advice to other players on how to avoid positive tests, and use and possession of the prohibited substance clenbuterol.

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The 40-year-old returned serve following the ITIA's ruling, issuing a statement exclusively obtained by The First Serve.

"In a time of deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act. Even after my confession, the ITIA sham hearing decided to penalise me for four years," Matosevic wrote.

"I am really disappointed that all the governing bodies of tennis didn't come together and make it clear that I retired in February 2018. What is staggering is that the ITIA is allowed to make charges against me solely from text messages and obscure rules for player support teams.

"In my interview with The First Serve, I raised the topic of legal cheating going on with TUEs in tennis and the silence around that has been deafening and revealing. I feel like I was handed this harsh penalty because I refused to cooperate with their investigation into other players and player support teams.

"I am weighing up whether it's worth appealing in this corrupt system. It's very obvious that not everyone is on the same playing field, as we have seen over the last few years.

"The truth has set me free, and I hope the truth sets tennis free from all the corruption.

"Signed Marinko Matosevic. 20/03/26."

Matosevic, a former world No.39, also reached out to The First Serve in February to release a statement before he was due to appear in court.

"Even though the ITIA has no real evidence of my wrongdoing, I have decided to admit what I did due to the corrupt process and the ridiculous nature of the other charges," part of his statement read. 

"Under desperate circumstances (I had some health issues in 2017), I stupidly and recklessly did a blood transfusion in Morelos, Mexico. I was so disgusted with myself, I retired the following week at the age of 32 and a half."

He then added that the ITIA process is "corrupt" and "unjust".

"The whole process is corrupt and lacks credibility, as we have seen over the last few years!" he wrote.

"These are man-made rules that get changed on a whim and to suit questionable objectives; they are not moral or right! The other 'complicity' charges they have against me are total nonsense and have been put together with nothing but text messages from years ago, using more made-up laws like 'intent'."

Matosevic previously coached Jordan Thompson and Chris O'Connell.

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