British tennis player Tara Moore faces missing Wimbledon after failing drugs test

British tennis player Tara Moore has been provisionally suspended after testing positive for banned substances under the sport’s anti-doping rules.

The International Tennis Integrity Agency on Wednesday said the 29-year-old Moore, who is ranked 83rd in doubles, tested positive for nandrolone metabolites and Boldenone during a WTA tournament in Colombia in April. She is the country’s top doubles player.

“The player now has the opportunity to request that the B sample is analyzed to see if that confirms the A sample,” the ITIA said.

Moore responded on her social media accounts, saying she has “never knowingly taken a banned substance in my career.”

“I am investigating how the positive result could have occurred and look forward to proving that I am a clean athlete,” she wrote. “I am deeply saddened by the provisional suspension and hope to be back on the court as soon as possible.”

Moore is “ineligible to compete in or attend any sanctioned tennis events organised by the governing bodies of the sport from the start of the provisional suspension on 27 May 2022,” the ITIA confirmed.

AP, additional reporting by PA