Nadal says players clean, testing tough

PARIS - World No. 2 Rafael Nadal said on Tuesday tennis was free of doping and repeated his view that the testing procedures were too tough.

“I am the first who wants a clean sport, more than anyone, believe me, but the way it [controls] are being done is, in my opinion, not right,” the Spaniard told reporters at the Paris Masters.

Nadal, who had previously accused controllers of “harassing” the players, said he had a problem with players having to inform anti-doping authorities of their whereabouts on a daily basis.

“Sure, I would love to have a few changes,” he said. “I think that’s too much to have to say every day of your life where you are.”

The WTA, the women’s governing body, said it would like to see the World Anti-Doping Agency revise its “whereabouts” rule to give players more flexibility when they are competing.

Belgian players Yanina Wickmayer and Xavier Malisse were both handed one-year suspensions last week for failing to notify their national doping agency where they could be reached, under a ruling the WTA believes is a little too stringent.

Reuters