Richard Gasquet: Was Justice Served? Is This Best for Tennis?

I was relieved and pleased to see Richard Gasquet reinstated on the pro tour last week. Here is a situation where rules and policy cannot always be followed and the ITF thankfully allowed an independent tribunal to inject some reason into the proceeding so that in the end justice was done.

I fully support protecting the sport of tennis from the threat of drugs, gambling and other influences that tarnish outcomes. The use of any banned substance to increase your likelihood of winning is cheating, plain and simple. Cycling and baseball are two sports that have lost all credibility in my eyes for this very reason and I would hate to see that happen to tennis. But there is stark contrast between what happened to Richard Gasquet and the deliberate introduction of a banned substance to enhance your performance. Was he stupid? Perhaps. Should he have been more aware of the crowd, the people, the location? Definitely. But this is not cheating, it’s simply a mistake.

I do think that professional athletes need to be held to a stricter standard than the rest of us as they stand to benefit to a much greater degree. I also believe that they should be held accountable and punished for unsuitable behavior and actions on and off the court. It’s important to note that Gasquet has been punished by a strong measure already. His name was dragged through the mud, I am sure he has or will lose sponsors and he did not get to compete at the French or Wimbledon which cost him money and ranking points. This was a good punishment and a hard lesson for a young man to learn. Anything more than this however would have been just inhuman.

Pat Hanssen is Director of Sales for Lee Tennis Court Products



ARE YOU KIDDING ME! I have heard and seen a lot of things in my life, but nothing as ridiculous as Gasquet saying I ingested cocaine from kissing a girl. I can see it now, I'm going to walk into the office, be screened, test positive, and then explain to my boss that I kissed a girl on Saturday night in which I ingested cocaine. What do you think the odds are that I keep my job? The ITF has given themselves a black eye in my opinion. Testing positive is testing positive... Who cares what amounts are in the system? Oh and how about Gasquet's complaint that he was tested after he withdrew from Key Biscayne and only athletes in competition were to be tested. If you are clean you shouldn't care when you are tested.

The independent anti-doping tribunal that Gasquet convinced that he ingested cocaine should be drug tested themselves! Check this out, "We have found the player to be a person who is shy and reserved, honest and truthful, and a man of integrity and good character,'' the tribunal said in its ruling. "He is neither a cheat nor a user of drugs for recreational purposes.'' In the same statement they then said, "After deciding to withdraw from the tournament he went to a nightclub in Miami with friends to see a French DJ perform at a dance music festival, which the tribunal noted was "notoriously associated with use of illegal recreational drugs including cocaine.'' So my question is this, what is a person of integrity and good character, doing in a club that is "notoriously associated with the use of illegal recreational drugs including cocaine?"

We all have seen baseball take it share of criticism for the steroid scandal and now the ITF has open its doors as well. Nice job with keeping the integrity and good character of the game!

Tracy Lynch – Wholesale Accounts Manager, Lee Tennis Court Products