Yanina Wickmayer's season is over and now she will consider appealing of a one-year ban from Belgian officials, while Xavier Malisse contemplates the potential conclusion of his career.
The US Open semifinalist withdrew from the Commonwealth Bank Tournament of Champions in Bali the day after she and fellow Belgian and former Wimbledon semifinalist Malisse were hit with with one-year bans by the Flemish Doping Tribunal for failing to comply with doping regulations.
"We are examining all different options," Wickmayer's spokesman Rudi Kuyl told an Antwerp press conference in comments published by Reuters. "This news really hit home incrediby hard."
Bali tournament director Kevin Livesey told Reuters that Wickmayer had left Bali. She was set to play Spain's Anabel Medina Garrigues in her final group match on Friday. Wickmayer was on course to reach the semifinals. She will be replaced in the field by Russia's Vera Dushevina.
"Yanina Wickmayer has been informed of the decision of the Belgian National Anti-Doping Agency and consequently has voluntarily withdrawn from the tournament," the WTA said in a statement published by Reuters. "While the tournament regrets all withdrawals, we support the WADA Code and are committed to following the decisions rendered by national anti-doping agencies."
Wickmayer and Malisse can appeal the suspensions and both are expected to file appeals with the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne, Switzerland. Wickmayer's doctor, Chris Goossens, said an appeal will be costly and time-consuming and her suspension will stand during the appeal process, which will sideline her for months.
Both Wickmayer and Malisse were expected to be reprimanded by the Flemish Doping Tribunal, but were suspended instead.
Malisse was reduced to tears during today's press conference and suggested it could well be the death knell for his competitive career.
"It is very hard to come back," Malisse told the media today. "In a year's time I will be 30 and a half. I will then have to play Challengers and Futures again. That is something I can't really see myself doing. It is hard to get a one-year suspension if you never used doping."
The Flemish regional tribunal described the punishment as "reasonable", according to the Associated Press. Tribunal spokesman Koen Uman told the AP the suspension takes immediate effect, but Wickmayer can appeal the decision.
The World Anti-Doping Agency's whereabouts rules state athletes much inform authorities of their whereabouts between 6 a.m. and 11 p.m. each day for a three-month period.
Wickmayer violated that rule three times in the last 18 months and Malisse broke the rule twice and missed one doping test, according to the Belga report.
