Yanina Wickmayer Tennis Doping Press Conference

by Staff | November 12th, 2009, 11:49 pm
  • 10 Comments

Yanina Wickmayer — Text Press Conference Nov. 12, 2009

Koning Boudewijn Stadium — Brussels, Belgium

Welcome,
ADHEREL
First of all, I would like to thank everyone who is present here today. It is extremely
important for me to be able to tell my story.


– November and December 2008, I was training in Switzerland.

– In January 2009, I was in Australia to prepare myself for the Australian Open.

– Because of this, all of the letters that were sent to my house that had to be signed for, I
was unable to receive and were returned to sender.

– On February 18, 2009 I went online and Googled the general email address of the
doping agency, and sent them and email to ask for information as I had heard several
players talk about the new anti doping program.

– On February 19, 2009, I received an email back, which included a login and did not
include any information about the one failed update I had already missed, without
knowing that this system even exists, even though all the letters that I had to sign for
upon receipt and were sent back to the Flemish Anti-Doping Agency, meaning that they
did know that I never received them.

– After this email, I left for the United States for 7 weeks and have tried numerous times
to sign on to the system with the login details that they provided to me, which failed time
after time.

– In early April, I then sent an email myself again to notify them that I could not get into
the system.

– After the weekend, their reply to me was simply that there was a problem with my login
and that they have reset this so I can log in with a new login into the system. There was
no indication in this email that I now had already had two failures to update behind my
name, even though I had not even logged into the system once.

– Following their reply to me and using the new login information, I mistakenly
completed the online whereabouts details wrong, as I did not know that you could not
select the option ‘competition’ and instead had to select the option “permanent
residence”, which I had no idea about.

– In June, I then called Mr. De Bruyn myself to ask him information as to how top
complete the wherabouts correctly. I got the information that day for the first. This
conversation took place after my 3rd missed update had already happened, even though I
had not received any word about this.

– From that day on, my WADA has always been updated correctly and I have been tested
out of competition at home.

– At the end of June it was that the Belgian Tennis Federation was notified about the
situation. They notified my father about this by email.

Consequences for my career:

– As a result of this, I am being punished extremely hard. I will lose my ranking and will
have to start again from 0. I will fight back but there is nothing that guarantees me that I
will return to the same ranking.

– Throughout the year, I have had numerous doping test, and I have never failed or
refused one.

– I have never had any education or information about it.

– The system is needed and I find it a good idea but it should happen in a more personal
manner.

– Tennis players travel a lot so these updates are sometimes very difficult to do.
We are going to appeal this ruling and will do everything we can to get it overturned. If
this decision is not overturned and I am not able to compete for a year, I am going to do
everything I can to be back at the end of the year even stronger. I am a fighter and won’t
give up.

I would also like to thank my team, my fans, and anyone else who have supported me so
intensely. Words can not explain how much that support means to me.


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10 Comments for Yanina Wickmayer Tennis Doping Press Conference

Henry Says:

This matter perfectly illustrates the hypocrisy of the so-called governing bodies in tennis. Not one governing body acted according to ITF code violation rules in the Serena Williams (US Open)case. ITF is still ‘investigating’ that one…., but the same ITF is very quick in supporting the Wickmayer and Malisse ban. A ban based on an administrative error NOT doping.

For a good look at WADA and ITF hypocrisy check out this link:
http://tennisencoach.nl/nieuws/nieuws/shame-on-wada-and-itf#KJmeXA7NAArvTzIVH8Q4hQ

November 13th, 2009 at 6:05 am


Mary Says:

And at the same time she missed all of those tests, she managed to rise to number 16 in the world.

I guess she forgot you can fax the info. Oh, and this cool thing called the “telephone” was invented. If you pick it up and push a correct sequence of numbers to your party, you can talk to them over this cool new invention.
Get this cool thing: the itf, wta, coaches, federations, associations also have this info. I guess she did not know that.

So, anyway, it sounds like she sent in the form, but “forgot” and just happened to be in none of those places.I guess she never heard of the cool thing called a “copier.”

“Throughout the year, I have had numerous doping test, and I have never failed or
refused one.

– I have never had any education or information about it.”

She should be suspended on grounds of “dumba$$.”

November 13th, 2009 at 9:27 am


Tj Says:

To: ITF
“Shame on YOU”

November 13th, 2009 at 9:31 am


tennisfan Says:

For a person that behaves like a “steroid-head”
(see the first post at http://bit.ly/4nMAcx )

not following the rules might have been a bad choice.

Many people seem to give her a “pass” because she is young, but what about “team wickmayer” – dad, and whoever else is cashing in on her muti-thousand dollar year.

Rule enforcement is based on making examples of people – who better than a person that single handedly destroyed a challenger and charity event?

November 13th, 2009 at 4:55 pm


Henry Says:

To tennisfan: As far as I remember the incident, Wickmayer was leading in the finals against Julie Coin 6-3, 1-1. Coin served out and Wickmayer returned the ball ACCIDENTALLY hitting a lines-person and was defaulted for that.

My earlier comment, the very first one on this thread, is based on a general observation within our sport. An observation most players will agree with. Most players – even the more organized ones – will also agree that WADA’s wherabouts rules and the online ADAMS should be changed. Even the WTA is (finally) looking into ‘humanizing’ those rules.
Your comment and Mary’s seem to be based on a personal problem with a player and, obviously, not based on much research.
This case is much bigger than the suspended Wickmayer or Malisse

November 14th, 2009 at 10:19 am


Mary Says:

Henry: http://www.tennis-x.com/ptfstory/2009-03-04/741.php
Wickmayer Defaulted from Clearwater Pro Tennis After Hitting Linesperson

Posted on March 4, 2009

In an unusual pro tennis happening over the weekend in Florida, Belgium’s Yanina Wickmayer was defaulted from both the singles and doubles final at the $50,000 ITF Clearwater Challenger.

Wickmayer reportedly smacked an out service by opponent Julie Coin, hitting the ball backwards where a linesperson was standing. The linesperson was hit in the face/shoulder area, and Wickmayer was immediately defaulted from the singles final, and also the following doubles final she was scheduled to appear in.

Wickmayer will lose all her prize money and ranking points from the event according to ITF rules.

Prior to the incident the Belgian reportedly had issues with her temper, throwing her racquet and launching a tennis ball over the stands.

“A bit of an explanation of what happened today, since you all must have been shocked/scared/surprised,” Wickmayer wrote on her website. “I’d won the first set with 6-3 and it was 1-1 in the second. Julie served out and I hit the ball backwards [towards behind the baseline], but a little bit harder than intended. All week there haven’t been standing linesmen over there, but today there was one linesman. The ball accidentally hit his shoulder and I wasn’t allowed to play any further. I had a very good week and I’ve played a couple of really good matches, so this is really sad.”

Also, tennis fan and I are posting based on what the rules are of the sport. The idea either of us would have personal problems with this multi-fined young player is silly. Also, we are posting ON TOPIC,so why not run to another thread to be off topic.

November 14th, 2009 at 11:44 am


Mary Says:

Henry: by being off topic, I mean your being angry because of the ITF’s handling of Serena Williams. You seem to be under some strange assumption that a one group of people work and handle everything at the ITF.

November 14th, 2009 at 11:51 am


Henry Says:

Mary, I am actually posting very much ON topic and am simply making a case for changing those (WADA/ADAMS)rules. Just like most in tennis.
Sorry to disappoint you, but I’m not really an angry person (Life’s too short!) and I’m not the one who made very angry, personal and degrading remarks about a player. If you care to read properly, I only brought forward the Serena case as an example of how some rules seem to matter and others don’t. For you, apparently, calling a player “dumba$$” is staying on topic.
Oh, and when it comes to governing bodies, I’ve stopped assuming anything at all. And, to remain ON topic, especially when it comes to doping (or rather non-doping)both WADA and ITF have shown their total inconsistency and unfairly ruined the careers of many. I rest my case.

November 14th, 2009 at 3:22 pm


Mary Says:

Henry: WADA and the ITF are following the rules that are NOW in effect.
Yes, I did call her a name because she refuses to take responsibility for her refusal to be at the place SHE listed on her whereabouts form. She has also changed her story numerous times.
In a two-second search, I found the phone number, fax number, and email address to use to update your whereabouts form.
The rules were made very clear to the players, since she ignored the rules, she needs to get the ban. It seems lost on most people that without this whereabouts, it is too easy for players to dope.

I worry not about those, like Wickmayer, who ignore or don’t expect the rules to apply to her. I worry for the players that do follow the rules that lose to those rulebreakers. Also, most of the players do not complain about the new rules. This was not an administrative error. This was a player thumbing her nose at the rules.
I don’t get how she fills out the form, which is the only way the testers knew where to show up, yet she never seemed to be there. The idea that she did not know which buttons to push is silly. She cheated. Ignoring the rules is not an administrative error, it’s blatant cheating.
I realize you may not hold people to any standards, but many of us do.
Your first post only mentions Wickmayer in passing since you are most concerned with comparing it with Serena, which makes no sense.
Review the rules on the ITF/WADA site. Thank you.

November 14th, 2009 at 4:38 pm


Mary Says:

Henry: A word to the wise: Do unto others. Nobody mentioned you in their posts. For you to attack other posters, not addressing you in the first place, it is the height of rudeness. Also, it is part of the problem of people not taking responsibility for their actions. I see why the above story hit a nerve with you.
Please google and read up on netiquette and etiqette before posting or going out in public. We are not reading this site to be attacked by you.

November 14th, 2009 at 4:53 pm

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