Nick Kyrgios Suspended After Testing Positive for Cocaine in Spain

Nick Kyrgios has been provisionally suspended from all tennis after testing positive for cocaine during an ATP 250 event in Mallorca, Spain on June 22. The 31-year-old Australian revealed the failed drug test on Instagram on August 19, accepting full responsibility and citing years of injuries as context. He now faces a potential ban of up to four years, though lighter sanctions apply for substances of abuse used outside competition.

How the positive test unfolded

Kyrgios provided a sample on June 22 during the lower-tier ATP 250 event in Mallorca. A World Anti-Doping Agency laboratory confirmed benzoylecgonine, a cocaine metabolite, on July 17. The International Tennis Integrity Agency imposed the provisional suspension on August 4, making it mandatory under anti-doping rules because cocaine is classified as a substance of abuse on the WADA Prohibited List.

What Kyrgios said about the failed test

Kyrgios posted on Instagram: “I made a huge mistake and take full responsibility for it.” He apologised to fans, family, sponsors, and children who follow him. He cited the physical and mental toll of two years of injuries, saying his body could not do what his mind expected. He stressed the positive test was a wake-up call and pledged to step away from social media for 28 days to focus on his wellbeing.

What happens next in the case

Kyrgios has the right to appeal the provisional suspension but has not done so to date. The International Tennis Integrity Agency will prosecute the case. A baseline three-month suspension could extend to four years if found to have used cocaine in competition. British player Dan Evans received a one-year ban from the International Tennis Federation in 2017 for a similar cocaine positive at the Barcelona Open.

Kyrgios’ career decline before the suspension

Kyrgios reached a career-high ranking of 13 in October 2016 and made the Wimbledon final in 2022, losing to Novak Djokovic. Since his peak, injuries have derailed his career. He won only two of 10 singles matches on the ATP Tour this year and is now ranked 919th. He received a wild card to play doubles at Wimbledon last month but lost in the first round with partner Alexander Bublik.

Final Thoughts

Kyrgios faces a lengthy ban that will almost certainly prevent him from competing at the 2027 Australian Open. The case marks another low point in a career marked by disciplinary issues, though the player has accepted responsibility and signalled a commitment to rehabilitation.

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