Eight-year drugs ban for Puerta

Argentina's Mariano Puerta was banned for eight years yesterday following a positive drugs test after this year's French Open final. The International Tennis Federation (ITF) said its independent Anti-Doping Tribunal had ruled that Puerta tested...

Argentina's Mariano Puerta was banned for eight years yesterday following a positive drugs test after this year's French Open final.

The International Tennis Federation (ITF) said its independent Anti-Doping Tribunal had ruled that Puerta tested positive for the banned stimulant etilefrine after his French Open final defeat by Spain's Rafael Nadal in June.

"In accordance with the WADA World Anti-Doping Code it therefore imposed an eight-year suspension from competition, commencing 5 June, 2005," the ITF said in a statement on its official website.

It was Puerta's second offence. The 27-year-old served a nine-month ban after testing positive for clenbuterol in 2003. Puerta has three weeks to appeal the decision.

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