American Abigail Spears gets 22-month doping ban after positive test

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Former Australian Open mixed doubles champion Abigail Spears of the US has been banned for 22 months after failing a drugs test. The International Tennis Federation announced this on Thursday, imposing the ban on Spears.Abigail-Spears-tennis-doping-ban

Spears, 38, was found guilty of consuming the banned substances prasterone and testosterone at the 2019 US Open in New York. Her urine sample was found to have contained the two prohibited substances, prasterone and testosterone, the International Tennis Federation said.

A statement from the ITF said that Spears has accepted the use of the banned substance and has given clarification on its use. Her ban will come into effect from November 7, 2019, and ends on September 6, 2021.

The statement read, “The ITF accepted Ms. Spears’ explanation as to how the prasterone and testosterone entered her system and that her use was unconnected to sports performance…although her fault was deemed to be high.”

Spears, along with Colombia’s Juan Sebastian Cabal in 2017, won the mixed doubles title at the Australian Open. The American tennis star had a Grand Slam breakthrough in the year 2017, the year which was considered to be her farewell year on tour. With her Colombian partner Cabal, she defeated the second-seeded team of Sania Mirza and Ivan Dodig 6–2, 6–4. The American star has a total of 21 doubles titles to her name in her career.sania mirza ivan dodig

Spears, who turned pro in the year 2000, had also qualified in singles for the US Open twice. She achieved a singles ranking of world No. 66 on June 6, 2005. Her highest doubles ranking was world No. 11 on June 24, 2013. Spears has not been successful in winning any WTA singles title so far.

Spears and compatriot Raquel Kops-Jones were one of the most successful doubles team of the 2012 season, winning four titles at Carlsbad, Seoul, Tokyo, and Osaka. The pair also reached two other finals and also the quarterfinals of Wimbledon.