The International Tennis Federation announced on Wednesday that Belgian player Yanina Wickmayer’s suspension has been lifted.
The 2009 US Open semifinalist is expected to return to the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour early next season.
Wickmayer’s countryman, ATP World Tour player Xavier Malisse, has also been reinstated.
“Following the appeal by Belgian tennis players Xavier Malisse and Yanina Wickmayer against the suspensions imposed on them by the Doping Tribunal of the Flemish National Anti-Doping Organisation (NADO Flanders) for the commission of three whereabouts failures in an eighteen-month period, a Belgian civil court has ordered NADO Flanders that the suspensions be lifted pending further appeal,” the ITF announced in a statement this morning.
“As a signatory to the WADA Code, the ITF is required (under article 15.4 of the Code) to give wider recognition to decisions within the authority of other signatories. NADO Flanders is also a signatory to the Code, and accordingly the ITF has removed both Mr Malisse and Ms Wickmayer from the list of suspended players, and both are eligible to participate with immediate effect.”
Wickmayer has been offered a wildcard into Auckland’s ASB Classic and remains hopeful of receiving one for the Australian Open, as the entry deadlines for both tournaments have passed. Australian Open tournament director Craig Tiley has said that it is unlikely that Wickmayer will receive a wildcard as the remaining ones are expected to go to Australian tennis players.
Shame on the Australian Open organisers if they give wild cards to low-ranked Australians but not the world #16.
It’s a shame indeed, but apparently she has signed up for the qualifications so she isn’t giving up
Got to admire her for that!
I think she should have been give a WC as she was found innocent and the whole problem arose because of malfunctioning system set up by the authorities (so-called).