Venezuelan tennis player bizarrely blames kiss after being handed four-year doping ban

The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) announced on Friday that Gonçalo Oliveira, a 30-year old Portuguese-born tennis player who currently represents Venezuela, has been suspended for a period of four years under the Tennis Anti-Doping Program (TADP).

Oliveira, who reached a career-high doubles ranking of World No.77 in August 2020, provided an in-competition sample while competing in an ATP Challenger event in Manzanillo, Mexico, on November 25, 2024. Analysis of the sample revealed it contained the substance methamphetamine, which is prohibited under the TADP, in the category of Stimulants (section S6.A) of the 2024 World Anti-Doping Agency Prohibited List.

The Venezuelan player had attempted to argue his case, stating it was unintentional. Oliveira claimed that the presence of the prohibited substance methamphetamine was a result of either contamination via kissing or environmental contamination.

However, an independent tribunal found that the player did not provide “clear, cogent, persuasive or concrete evidence” of either scenario. Therefore, there was no proof that the violation was unintentional.

Nonetheless, Oliveira denied that notion and requested that the case be referred to a hearing. The trial was held on September 11, 2025 in London, UK, before an independent tribunal, with the eventual result being a four-year period of ineligibility.

Therefore, all results, prize money and ranking points from the event in which he tested positive were forfeited, in addition to all subsequent events played by Oliveira between the date of his positive test and the imposition of his provisional suspension.

Oliveira was provisionally suspended on January 17, 2025. With all time served under provisional suspension credited against his period of ineligibility, Oliveira’s suspension will end on 16 January 2029.

During the period of ineligibility, Oliveira is prohibited from playing in, coaching at, or attending any tennis event authorized or sanctioned by the members of the ITIA (ATP, ITF, WTA, Tennis Australia, Fédération Française de Tennis, Wimbledon and USTA) or any national association.