South American players cleared from wrongdoing after testing positive for prohibited substance

Three tennis players from South America have been cleared from an investigation by the International Tennis Integrity (ITIA) following a doping investigation involving contaminated meat.

Conner Huertas del Pino (Peru), Mateo Barreiros Reyes (Brazil) and Andres Urrea (Colombia) all tested positive for prohibited anabolic steroid boldenone while competing at an ATP Challenger tournament last year in Bogota, Colombia but in a case similar to Tara Moore albeit without the prolonged outcome she got which didn't go her way, the contaminated meat was the reason for them being clared.

The ITIA said that the players had unintentionally consumed contaminated meat and that that they provided evidence and documentation to support the case in question including receipts and information on the source of the meat consumed.

The ITIA announced their findings on Wednesday in a statement which is in part below.

"Following an investigation, which included interviews, review of detailed documentation including meal logs and receipts, advice from independent WADA-accredited laboratory scientists, and consideration of three positive tests for the same substance (at low levels) from the same event, the ITIA determined that Huertas del Pino, Barreiros Reyes and Urrea bore No Fault or Negligence for their Anti-Doping Rule Violation.

"The samples were split into A and B samples and the subsequent analysis found that both samples from each player contained boldenone, which is prohibited under the TADP, in the category of Anabolic Agents (section S1 [1.1] of the 2025 World Anti-Doping Agency Prohibited List). Boldenone is a non-Specified Substance, and none of the players possessed a valid TUE for the substance.

"The ITIA sent each player a pre-charge notice of an Anti-Doping Rule Violation on 7 July 2025 under Article 2.1 of the TADP (presence of a Prohibited Substance in a Player’s Sample) and/or Article 2.2 (Use of a Prohibited Substance without a valid Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE)).

"Findings for non-Specified Substances carry a mandatory provisional suspension – effective in each player’s case from 7 July 2025. Players have the right to apply to the Chair of the Independent Tribunal to lift their provisional suspensions. None of the players have made such an application.

"Since then, the players obtained further evidence and documentation in support of their case – which included detailed receipts, and information on the source of meat consumed during the period in question.The ITIA conducted its own parallel investigation into the circumstances, and the explanation and evidence, was verified as plausible by independent scientific experts.

"Following precedent in similar recent cases from both tennis and other World Anti-Doping Code-compliant sports, the ITIA issued decisions of No Fault or Negligence. The players are free to return to play."