Tennis athlete Goncalo Oliveira has been handed a four-year suspension following a failed drug test. The 30-year-old tested positive for methamphetamine after a sample was collected at the Manzanillo Open in Mexico in November last year.
The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) revealed that Oliveira suggested his positive result was due to “contamination through kissing or environmental factors.” Nevertheless, an independent tribunal concluded that there was insufficient evidence to support this claim.
In an official announcement, the ITIA stated: “All results, prize money, and ranking points from the tournament where the player tested positive have been forfeited, along with those from subsequent events Oliveira participated in between the positive test date and the initiation of his provisional suspension.”
Oliveira, originally from Portugal but representing Venezuela in tennis, was provisionally suspended in January.
After being informed of a potential breach of anti-doping rules, the tennis player presented his defense. He explained: “On November 24, 2024, I was at a bar in the city with a friend, where I met a woman. We danced and shared a few kisses. Before meeting her, the woman took a ‘recreational drug’ pill and had a drink. I was not aware of her drug use at the time and only found out later when I contacted her after my positive test.”
While uncertainty remains about the potential contamination through contact with the woman, Oliveira emphasized the need to consider this possibility seriously.
Oliveira requested a hearing, which was held before an independent tribunal in London in September. He has been suspended until January 16, 2029, with the first part of his four-year ban already in effect this year.
Throughout his period of ineligibility, the tennis star is prohibited from participating in, coaching, or attending any events sanctioned by ITIA members. Oliveira reached a career-high ranking of 194th globally by the end of 2017 but has since dropped to 460th.
Although Oliveira has secured 18 titles on the ATP Challenger Tour and ITF Futures Tour, he has not competed in a Grand Slam event. Notably, he narrowly missed qualifying for the main draw at the French Open in 2018, eventually being defeated by Bernard Tomic in the third qualifying round.
Additionally, Oliveira participated in the qualifying rounds at Wimbledon in 2018 and the Australian Open in 2024.