Nick Kyrgios suspended from tennis after testing positive for cocaine

Australian tennis player Nick Kyrgios has been provisionally suspended by the International Tennis Integrity Agency after testing positive for cocaine during a June 2026 tournament in Mallorca, Spain. Kyrgios, whose ranking has fallen to 919th due to persistent knee and wrist injuries, accepted full responsibility on Instagram, calling the result a "wake up call." He faces a potential ban of up to four years but has stepped away from public life for 28 days to focus on recovery.

Kyrgios cocaine suspension

• ▪Nick Kyrgios provided the positive drug sample on June 22, 2026, during a tournament in Mallorca, Spain, which was confirmed by a World Anti-Doping Agency laboratory on July 17, 2026
• ▪Under World Anti-Doping Agency rules, Nick Kyrgios faces a potential tennis ban of up to four years, though out-of-competition offenses can carry a reduced three-month suspension
• ▪British tennis player Dan Evans served a one-year ban in 2017 after testing positive for cocaine at the Barcelona Open, representing a similar historical precedent
• ▪Australian tennis player Nick Kyrgios was provisionally suspended from professional tennis after testing positive for benzoylecgonine, a metabolite of cocaine

Career injury struggles

• ▪Following a knee injury in Tokyo in October 2022 and a subsequent wrist injury, Nick Kyrgios played only once over the next two years and missed multiple Grand Slam tournaments
• ▪Nick Kyrgios has played only four singles matches during the 2026 season, recording a 1-3 win-loss record
• ▪Nick Kyrgios, formerly ranked world number 13, has slipped to a ranking of 919th following a series of persistent physical injuries

Public apology statement

• ▪In his public statement, Nick Kyrgios apologized to his fans, family, sponsors, and the children who follow him, expressing deep disappointment in himself
• ▪Nick Kyrgios released a statement on Instagram taking full responsibility for the positive drug test, describing it as a "huge mistake" and a "wake up call."
• ▪Nick Kyrgios announced he would step away from social media and public life for 28 days to focus on his personal recovery

Provisional suspension details

• ▪The provisional suspension was mandatory under International Tennis Integrity Agency regulations because cocaine is classified as a stimulant and substance of abuse on the WADA Prohibited List
• ▪The International Tennis Integrity Agency imposed a mandatory provisional suspension on Nick Kyrgios effective August 4, 2026, which the player has not appealed
• ▪Under the terms of the provisional suspension, Nick Kyrgios is barred from playing in or coaching at any tennis events organized or sanctioned by global or national tennis bodies

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