TENNIS/Tennis player Tsao Chia-yi voluntarily suspended after doping violation

Taipei, March 14 (CNA) Taiwanese tennis player Tsao Chia-yi (曹家宜) has accepted a voluntary provisional suspension after being notified of an anti-doping rule violation, pledging to fully cooperate with the ongoing investigation.

In a statement posted on her Facebook page on Friday, Tsao explained that the prohibited substance was from medication she took for an illness during her hectic tournament schedule in late 2024.

The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) informed her of the violation on Feb. 20, she said.

In response, Tsao applied for a voluntary provisional suspension on March 1 while submitting relevant documents and is currently working with the ITIA to resolve the matter.

"I want to make it clear that I had no intention of enhancing my performance through drugs," the 21-year-old Tsao wrote, adding that she will continue training during the suspension while awaiting the results of the investigation.

"I will take this as a lesson and be more cautious in the future," she said.

Tsao's statement came two days after the ITIA announced her voluntary provisional suspension.

According to the ITIA, methylephedrine -- a stimulant classified as a prohibited substance -- was found in one of the two in-competition samples she provided during the WTA ASB Classic in Auckland, New Zealand, on Jan. 1, 2025.

Although methylephedrine is listed as a "specified substance," meaning a provisional suspension is not mandatory, the ITIA noted that Tsao did not have a therapeutic use exemption (TUE) for it.

Confirming her provisional suspension starting March 1, the ITIA said that any time served under suspension would be credited against any future sanction, if imposed.

Tsao reached a career-high world ranking of No. 115 in women's doubles in August 2024. She partnered with nine-time Grand Slam women's doubles champion Hsieh Su-wei (謝淑薇) at the 2024 Paris Olympics, where they were eliminated in the quarterfinals.