Dayana Yastremska has been ruled out of the Australian Open after her appeal against the provisional doping suspension was denied.
The Ukranian had tested positive for mesterolone metabolite, which is an anabolic agent on WADA’a prohibited list, in November 2020 and was handed a provisional ban.
ALSO READ: Andy Murray ‘gutted’ to miss out on Australian Open
“Only a very low concentration of mesterolone metabolite was detected in my urine,” she had stated in defence.
“Given that low concentration and given my negative test two weeks earlier, I have received scientific advice that the result is consistent with some form of contamination event.”
Sharpen your backhand with our FREE guide
The International Tennis Federation released a statement on Sunday saying an independent tribunal had denied the 20-year-old’s application to have her provisional suspension lifted.
It noted that decision was subject to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport by Yastremska, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and Ukraine’s anti-doping agency.
ALSO READ: Australian Open conditions unfair, feels Boris Becker
Yastremska, meanwhile, had travelled to Melbourne in one of the charter flights arranged by Tennis Australia in the hope that her appeal would be upheld. Unfortunately for the Ukranian player, she also happened to be on a flight that had a co-passenger test positive for the virus.
She has thus been forced into a 14-day hard quarantine after landing in Australia.
ALSO READ: Victoria Premier slams decision to honour Margaret Court
On Sunday, however, the 20-year-old found out that she would not be able to compete at the Australian Open, the first major of the season, as her appeal had been denied.
Currently ranked 29 in the world, Yastremska has won three WTA Tour titles and reached the fourth round at Wimbledon in 2019. She reached a career-high ranking of 21 in January last year.
ALSO READ: Tomic’s girlfriend gets death threats over hair joke
She had spent two weeks in self-isolation in Dubai after testing positive for the virus.
