Kazakhstan's young player handed four-year ban after failing two dope tests

The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) has announced that Kazakhstan’s young tennis player Arslanbek Aitkulov has been banned after failing dope tests. The 21-year-old failed two dope tests in 2024 for two banned substances, ligandrol and methylhexanamine. The player had a doping test while participating in a competition in Doha, Qatar, in January 2024.

The player initially responded to the charges and denied any wrongdoing in a statement provided in 2024. The ITIA attached a detailed statement to their official website. In that statement, Aitkulov claimed that there is a possibility of having contaminated food while having dinner in a restaurant in Doha, Qatar, before the test.

"Dear ITIA, I hereby acknowledge the charges brought against me,” was the statement of Aitkulov to ITIA. “However, I am eager to understand the circumstances surrounding the presence of the doping substances in my system. All the supplements I was consuming was purchased from the same reputable sports shop, Megapit.kz. Furthermore, according to the packaging and my cross-checking via the Anti-doping app, none of these supplements contain any prohibited substances. I have also provided photographic evidence of the supplements in question for your reference. On the day of the anti-doping testing, I was emotionally affected by a loss in a match, which led to an oversight on my part. Regrettably, I failed to declare all the supplements I had consumed, omitting mention of Omega-3. Despite my best efforts, it took three attempts to collect a sufficient sample during testing, owing to my heightened state of anxiety.”

The statement continued: “I also wish to bring to your attention the possibility of contamination in the meat I consumed every day for dinner at [a] restaurant during the Doha tournament. This could potentially explain the presence of the banned substances in my system. My team and I are currently investigating possible ways for the banned substances to enter my body, and I humbly request that you allow us more time to conduct a thorough investigation and collect sufficient evidence. I also intend to seek legal advice from a lawyer. Thank you for your understanding and consideration."

According to the statement released, the tribunal, in a remote hearing that was concluded on June 30, concluded that Aitkulov failed to provide evidence that the availability of the banned substances in his sample was ‘unintentional’. “The tribunal found that Aitkulov did not meet their burden to demonstrate that the presence of two prohibited substances in their January 2024 anti-doping sample was unintentional,” the statement said.

The statement also confirmed that the player will now stay out of action for four years for breaching the Tennis Anti-Doping Programme (TADP). “An independent tribunal found that Aitkulov did not meet their burden to demonstrate that the presence of two prohibited substances in their January 2024 anti-doping sample was unintentional,” read the statement.

Aitkulov’s suspension began in March 2024 and will end in March 2028. The player was handed a four-year suspension as the availability of the substance was the first such offence committed by the player. The player will have to forfeit the prize money or any ranking points that he earned from the Doha, Qatar competition where he was originally tested. During his time of suspension, Aitkulov will not be allowed to participate in any tennis event or use the facilities under the banner of the ITIA, ATP, ITF, WTA, Tennis Australia, Fédération Française de Tennis, Wimbledon and USTA or any national association.

Recently, a lot of players have been handed punishment for failing doping tests. Just 10 days ago, Australian player Thomas Fancutt was given a 10-month ban from taking part in tennis activities. He became the second Australian player in recent years to have been banned after failing a doping test. Previously, Max Purcell was handed an 18-month ban after he admitted to breaching the doping rules.