In a five word tweet, Andy Murray made clear he had no sympathy for a fellow tennis player who had just been banned from tennis for doping.
After 29-year-old American Wayne Odesnik was handed a 15-year ban after testing positive for a range of performance enhancing drugs including anabolic steroids, the 2013 Wimbledon champion Murray tweeted: “Bye bye Wayne… Good riddance.”
This isn’t the first time Odesnik has been caught cheating — he was initially given a two-year ban in 2010 when Australian customs officials discovered eight vials of human growth hormone in his luggage.
As this is his second offense the International Tennis Federation increased his punishment to 15 years with Odesnik, who is ranked 267 in the world, subsequently announcing his retirement.
Odesnik, who has made over $1m in prize money over his career, says the positive test results weren’t his fault.
“In December 2014, I unknowingly ingested a contaminated over-the-counter supplement,” Odesnik said in a statement.
“Upon learning of my positive test results I was immediately heartbroken as words could not describe my shock and disappointment,” added the former world No. 77.
“Being the most tested American player on tour, I would never knowingly have taken any chance of consuming a banned substance.”
Fellow American tennis player Andy Roddick was also in no mood to forgive Odesnik, tweeting: “I hate that he has a U.S. flag next to his name when he’s cheating. Good riddance.”
According to the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), Odesnik provided out-of-competition urine samples in December 2014 and January 2015 which tested positive.
“[It] was his second such violation, having been sanctioned in 2010 for the possession of human growth hormone. It was, therefore, determined that he is suspended from participation for a period of 15 years” USADA said in a statement.
“It was also determined that Mr Odesnik’s results at the Happy Valley Challenger event, Australian Open and Maui Challenger event should be disqualified, with forfeiture of the ranking points and prize money.”
Odesnik was born in Johannesburg but moved to the U.S. when he was three, before turning pro in 2004.
