British tennis player banned for doping

She’s a former British number one 

Tara Moore — who had been Britain’s top ranked doubles player when she was first banned in May 2022 — has been barred from playing tennis professionally until at least 2028. 

The 32-year-old player, who has previously competed at Wimbledon Singles tournament, tested positive for banned substances nandrolone and boldenone in Spring 2022 and was provisionally banned, pending an investigation. 

However just 19 months later, an independent tribunal ruled that Moore had unknowingly eaten contaminated meat which led to the positive test result, meaning Moore "bore no fault or negligence".

It meant that after "19 months of lost time and emotional distress”, Moore was finally able to return to the tennis circuit and even made the draw for this year’s Wimbledon Doubles tournament. 

Tara's return would be short lived however, as an appeal against that ruling was lodged by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) and it has now been upheld by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas).

In a statement, Cas said: “After reviewing the scientific and legal evidence, the majority of the Cas panel considered that the player did not succeed in proving that the concentration of nandrolone in her sample was consistent with the ingestion of contaminated meat.” 

"The panel concluded that Ms Moore failed to establish that the ADRV (Anti-Doping Rule Violation) was not intentional. The appeal by the ITIA is therefore upheld and the decision rendered by the Independent Tribunal is set aside."

Moore will serve the ban immediately but the first 19 months have been suspended, taking into account the time served during her provisional suspension.