The International Tennis Federation released a statement today on Xavier Malisse's one-year suspension for missing a drug test earlier this year.

The ITF's complete statement is reprinted here:

"The Vlaams Doping Tribunal (VDT) has ruled that Mr. Malisse, a 29-year old tennis player from Belgium, has committed an Anti-Doping Rule Violation under Article 2.4 of the 2009 WADA Code (violation of Athlete Availability for Out-of-Competition Testing). As a member of the Flanders (Belgium) Registered Testing Pool, Mr. Malisse was required to provide whereabouts in accordance with the mandatory requirements of the 2009 WADA Code. The VDT determined that Mr Malisse committed three Whereabouts Failures — comprising two Filing Failures and one Missed Test — in 2009. The commission of three Whereabouts Failures in any 18-month period is an Anti-Doping Rule Violation under the 2009 WADA Code.

VDT confirmed the commission of an Anti-Doping Rule Violation and determined that Mr Malisse should be suspended for one year, commencing on 5 November 2009 and ending on 4 November 2010. National Anti-Doping Organisation (NADO) Flanders, on whose behalf VDT heard the case, is a signatory to the WADA Code, and in accordance with Article Q.1 of the Tennis Anti-Doping Programme, the ITF (and, therefore, its member National Associations) recognises and respects the decision of VDT, and shall take all steps necessary to enforce and give effect to it.

The Tennis Anti-Doping Programme is a comprehensive and internationally recognised drug-testing programme that applies to all players competing at tournaments sanctioned by the ITF, ATP World Tour, and Sony Ericsson WTA Tour. Players are tested for substances prohibited by the World Anti-Doping Agency and upon a finding that a Doping Offence has been committed, sanctions are imposed in accordance with the requirements of the World Anti-Doping Code."