- Australian Davis Cup captain Lleyton Hewitt has been suspended for two weeks by the International Tennis Integrity Agency.
- The suspension stems from an incident where Hewitt pushed a 60-year-old anti-doping volunteer in Spain.
- Hewitt denied the charge, claiming he acted in self-defense, but was found to have engaged in the conduct.
The International Tennis Integrity Agency has suspended Australian Davis Cup captain Lleyton Hewitt for two weeks for pushing a 60-year-old anti-doping volunteer at the conclusion of a match in Spain last November.
Hewitt, 44, denied the charge – which was brought by the ITIA following review of video evidence, witness statements and interviews – saying he acted in self-defense.
Hewitt had asked to appear in person before the independent tribunal so a hearing wasn’t held until July. After a ruling in August, Hewitt’s suspension is set to begin Sept. 24 and run through Oct. 7.
During his suspension, the ITIA says Hewitt will be ‘unable to take part in all tennis-related activities including coaching, mentoring, playing, captaincy and other associated roles.’
‘Anti-doping personnel play a fundamental role behind the scenes in upholding the integrity of tennis, and they should be able to go about their roles without fear of physical contact,’ Karen Moorhouse, CEO of the ITIA, said in a statement. ‘In this case, that line was clearly crossed, and we had no other option but to take action.”
Hewitt is allowed to appeal the suspension before it takes effect, but the ITIA says no appeal has yet been filed.