Tennis player cops brutal quarantine bill after Australian Open ban

Sports Reporter

Thu, 4 Feb 2021, 1:36 am·2-min read

Dayana Yastremska (pictured left) posing for a photo and (pictured right) on a flight to Australia. — Dayana Yastremska (pictured left) has offered to pay back Tennis Australia for the flight (pictured right) and hotel quarantine following her drug appeal being shut down. (Images: Instagram)

Controversial tennis star Dayana Yastremska has opted to pay Tennis Australia (TA) for her expenses after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) dismissed her drug suspension appeal.

Yastremska caused controversy after travelling to Australia, despite having been just provisionally suspended from the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) after a banned substance was found in an out-of-competition sample.

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But Yastremska took the risk and travelled to Australia, while she appealed the suspension to the International Tennis Federation (ITF) in a hope it could be lifted for her to compete.

But the ITF turned down the appeal.

"The provisional suspension imposed on Dayana Yastremska in the challenged decision remains in force until a final decision is rendered by the ITF," CAS said in a statement.

The ITF said in a statement that Yastremska "remains ineligible to compete" pending a final resolution of her case.

Yastremska said the positive test was the result of a "contamination event".

Yastremska offers to pay back Tennis Australia

But in a twist, the 20-year-old said she would pay TA for her costs after causing a stir.

"The urgent procedure with the ITF Independent Tribunal and the CAS could have lifted my provisional suspension, which would have enabled me to compete at the Australian Open," she wrote.

"That's the reason why I was allowed to travel there.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Dayana Yastremska (@dayana_yastremskay)

"I can't express my disappointment about not taking part in the first slam of the year. I am thankful to the authorities for the conditions they have set for the players in such challenging times.

"Thus, I intend to return all the expenses engaged by Tennis Australia on my behalf."

The 20-year-old said she will now focus on proving her innocence.

with AAP

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