Monday, 9 November, 2009

Belgian tennis stars Yanina Wickmayer and Xavier Malisse have received one-year suspensions from anti-doping officials in their homeland.

The Flemish Regional Tribunal said US Open semi-finalist Wickmayer had failed to declare her whereabouts on three occasions, a requirement under World Anti-Doping Agency standards, while Malisse had failed to do so twice and had also missed a test when he was unavailable for testing at an address he had provided.

The bans take immediate effect, meaning world number 18 Wickmayer must pull out of this week's Commonwealth Bank Tournament of Champions in Bali, while Malisse has withdrawn from the AXA Masters in Antwerp.

Malisse, 29, who reached the Wimbledon semi-finals in 2002, has recently returned to the world's top 100 after a slump in form.

Wickmayer, 20, has announced her intention to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

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