23 Jan 2013

Leading tennis players granted increased blood testing

11:53 am on 23 January 2013

Leading tennis players could get their wishes granted later this year with the introduction of increased blood testing in the sport.

Novak Djokovic said last week he hadn't been blood tested for six or seven months, and he and Andy Murray are among the top players calling for increased testing in tennis.

Dr Stuart Miller, the head of the International Tennis Federation's anti-doping unit, says there's a reasonably good chance of introducing biological passports towards the end of this year.

In 2011, the ITF conducted only 131 drug tests, including just 21 out of competition, but the Federation's total budget for drug testing is just $2 million.

The former top-10 player, Frenchman Guy Forget, the tournament director for the Paris Masters, said recently he's sure some men's players are cheating.