Thai-Son Kwiatkowski has accused his fellow tennis players of reported Adderall use.
The controversy surrounding the use of stimulant medications in pro tennis has resurfaced, with statements from world No. 318 Kwiatkowski, a tennis player who primarily competes in the ATP Challenger Tour. He has expressed concerns that many of his peers on the men's circuit are using stimulant medications intended for the treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
The 28-year-old tennis player stirred up controversy by sharing a report about the shortage of Adderall, a medication used to treat ADHD, on social media. In his post, he implied that the global supply of this medication has been affected due to the alleged abuse by tennis players.
"Probably because every tennis player is taking it…" he wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
A user asked whether Kwiatkowski himself would be involved in the situation, but the American athlete responded emphatically:
"Nope I’m not scum," he wrote.
The debate on the use of concentration-enhancing medications in tennis intensified last year when former world No. 7, Fernando Verdasco, was suspended for doping after using methylphenidate, another medication for ADHD.
Tennis journalist Ben Rothenberg furthered the discussion by claiming that a professional had informed him that approximately half of the top 100 men were using Adderall to gain a competitive advantage.
"One ATP player told me today he estimates 'half of top 100 is on it…maybe more.' And not because they have trouble focusing while doing their homework. Lots of cynicism about the TUE system within the locker room," he wrote on X (formerly Twitter) last year.
Reilly Opelka, a former world No. 17, also joined the discussion, advocating for the ban on the use of ADHD medications in professional tennis. Opelka likened the use of these medications to performance-enhancing substances like steroids and argued that a similar ban should be imposed. "Ban Adderall," Opelka wrote in one of his Instagram stories.