Nick Kyrgios has expressed his agreement with Yevgeny Kafelnikov, the former two-time Grand Slam champion, after Kafelnikov made a series of posts criticizing the current state of tennis in light of recent doping-related news, particularly involving Iga Świątek. The issue at hand revolves around Świątek, the current WTA world No. 2, who tested positive for the banned substance trimetazidine (TMZ) and received a one-month suspension. While Kafelnikov did not explicitly mention Świątek’s name, it was clear that he was referring to her case, which has sparked considerable debate in the tennis world.
Kafelnikov, who has been outspoken about various issues in the sport, took to social media, where he expressed frustration over the state of modern tennis. In his initial reaction to the news, Kafelnikov shared his regret about not using performance-enhancing drugs during his own career, noting that he often wondered how much longer he could have played had he resorted to doping. “Sometimes I wonder… why the hell didn’t I use steroids throughout my career, so I could play 300 matches instead of 170 each year?” Kafelnikov wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “This is really a shame, what’s happening to tennis now,” he added, suggesting that the sport’s reputation was being tarnished by the ongoing doping scandals.
But Kafelnikov’s frustration didn’t end there. In another post, the Russian legend expressed concern about the message this situation sends to younger generations of tennis players. He warned that the example set by current players, including Świątek, could lead younger players to believe that doping might be an acceptable part of the sport, or that they could “get away with it.” “The sad part is that young and upcoming players (12-16 years old) look at their idols and think maybe it’s normal to use steroids in the future and get away with it. Current players are setting bad examples for young generations,” Kafelnikov wrote, emphasizing his disappointment with the lack of consequences for players caught doping.
Kyrgios, known for his blunt and often controversial opinions, quickly reacted to Kafelnikov’s posts with a simple but powerful response: “yup.” This brief acknowledgment showed that Kyrgios agreed with Kafelnikov’s stance on the issue. Both players, having experienced the pressures and challenges of the professional tennis circuit, clearly shared similar concerns about the impact that doping scandals could have on the next generation of athletes.
In response to Kafelnikov’s critique, some fans defended Świątek, suggesting that her case was different because the drug she tested positive for, trimetazidine, was inadvertently ingested due to contamination in a melatonin supplement she had been taking. One fan pointed out that young players might learn that even without doping, they could fail a test due to accidental contamination, but would be able to clear their name in court. However, Kafelnikov strongly disagreed with this perspective, dismissing the idea that players could fail a test due to “inadvertent contamination.” “This is not true!! Nobody will fail a test unless you purposely use a banned substance,” Kafelnikov firmly responded, reinforcing his stance that doping, whether accidental or intentional, should be met with strict consequences.
As the controversy continued to unfold, Kafelnikov took to social media once again to express an even more drastic opinion. In a post on Thursday, he stated that any player who fails a doping test should face a lifetime ban from the sport. “It should be a LIFE ban for anybody who gets caught using banned substances! NO excuses and ZERO tolerance no matter who you are!!!!” the 50-year-old wrote, making his position on the matter clear. Kafelnikov’s call for a zero-tolerance policy on doping reflects his strong belief that the integrity of the sport should be upheld at all costs.
In contrast, the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA), which handled Świątek’s case, released a statement explaining the circumstances surrounding her positive test. According to the ITIA, Świątek had fully cooperated with the authorities and had been transparent about the situation. It was determined that the melatonin medication she had been using, which was intended to help with jet lag and sleep issues, had been contaminated with the banned substance trimetazidine. After thorough investigations and consultations with WADA-accredited laboratories, it was concluded that Świątek’s violation was unintentional.
The ITIA also emphasized that the traces of TMZ found in Świątek’s system were “at the lowest range” of detection, further supporting the argument that her case was one of accidental contamination rather than deliberate doping. “The ITIA accepted that the positive test was caused by the contamination of a regulated non-prescription medication (melatonin), manufactured and sold in Poland that the player had been taking for jet lag and sleep issues, and that the violation was therefore not intentional,” the statement read. The ITIA also noted that Świątek’s level of fault was deemed to be at the lowest end of the range for “No Significant Fault or Negligence,” a category under the World Anti-Doping Code for cases where the violation is deemed to be unintentional.
While the ITIA’s decision to impose a minimal one-month suspension on Świątek was met with some backlash, it was clear that the player had been severely affected by the ordeal. Świątek, who has spoken publicly about the emotional toll the situation took on her, described it as “the toughest battle of her life.” The 23-year-old admitted to “crying a lot” and suffering from many sleepless nights as she dealt with the stress and uncertainty of the situation. “The fear of uncertainty was mentally destroying me,” Świątek confessed. Thankfully, the issue was resolved in her favor, and she will be eligible to compete in the upcoming Australian Open.
The contrasting reactions to Świątek’s case have highlighted a growing divide in the tennis world over how doping violations should be handled. While some, like Kafelnikov and Kyrgios, argue for harsher penalties and greater accountability, others believe that players should be given the benefit of the doubt in cases of accidental contamination. This ongoing debate raises important questions about the future of tennis and the standards that should be applied to ensure the sport remains fair and clean for all players, both current and future.