British Tennis Player Dan Evans Tests Positive for Cocaine

British tennis star Dan Evans has been banned from competition for one year following a positive drug test for cocaine. Evans is currently the number 4 ranked British player. Evans will be allowed to return to competition April 24, 2018.

The Guardian reports, The 27-year-old tested positive for cocaine during the Barcelona Open in April this year but the ITF said in a statement it accepted “inadvertent contamination” was to blame for the positive test and that Evans bore “no significant fault or negligence”.

Evans, however, admitted to using cocaine when he was not competing four days before the test was taken. He claimed to have put a small amount of “leftover cocaine” first in his trouser pocket then in his washbag before discarding it the next day.

Evans, who was world No50 before his positive test, has also had to give back the £92,205 of prize money won and the ranking points gained between the date of his test and the announcement of the positive finding on 23 June.

Britains No1 Andy Murray spoke out over the controversy stating ;

“I have obviously spent a reasonable amount of time with Dan over the last couple of years. He put himself in a position to do really well for the last few years of his career and he has blown that now. It’s going to be a long road back if he wants to do it. He’s made poor decisions in the past and he made another really bad one there.”

Evans has released a statement following the positive drug test;

“I made a mistake and I must face up to it. I do not condone for one second that this was acceptable behaviour.

“I’ve let a lot of people down: my family, my coach, my team, sponsors, British tennis and my fans. I can only deeply apologise from the bottom of my heart.”