Hewitt Gets Two-week Ban For Pushing Doping Official

Australia's Davis Cup skipper Lleyton Hewitt has received a two-week prohibition and been fined 30,000 Australian dollars (£14,600) aft being recovered blameworthy of pushing a doping power official.

Hewitt pushed a 60-year-old unpaid anti-doping chaperone aft Australia's Davis Cup semi-final conclusion by Italy past November successful Malaga, Spain.

The two-time Grand Slam singles victor was charged successful January for engaging successful violative behaviour towards a doping power official.

He denied nan complaint - which was brought by nan the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) pursuing a reappraisal of video evidence, witnesser statements and interviews - and cited self-defence.

However, nan ITIA confirmed connected Wednesday an independent tribunal upheld nan complaint and said nan 44-year-old's actions "did not meet nan requirements of self-defence" and nan push was "too beardown aliases forceful and was excessive aliases disproportionate".

"I'm conscionable really disappointed astir nan wide determination but besides nan full process to beryllium honest, and nan deficiency of facts that person been put out," Hewitt said.

Hewitt, who won nan US Open successful 2001 and Wimbledon successful 2002, will beryllium banned from taking portion successful "all tennis-related activities" from 24 September until 7 October.

He will beryllium capable to skipper Australia arsenic they big Belgium successful nan 2nd information of Davis Cup qualifiers from 13-14 September successful Sydney.

The tribunal's chair Michael Heron said they did not want nan suspension to beryllium "unduly punitive" connected Hewitt by impacting his Davis Cup schedule.

Speaking earlier nan event, Hewitt said he will entreaty and "won't beryllium talking astir it immoderate further".

He said he would not beryllium stepping down for nan Davis Cup qualifiers, adding: "Unlike nan ITIA and nan ITF (International Tennis Federation), I won't beryllium making it a distraction for nan Davis Cup. This title intends excessively much.

"I deliberation heavy down it will make nan boys moreover stronger to spell retired location and get nan occupation done."

ITIA main executive Karen Moorhouse said successful a statement: "Anti-doping unit play a basal domiciled down nan scenes successful upholding nan integrity of tennis and they should beryllium capable to spell astir their roles without fearfulness of beingness contact.

"In this case, that statement was intelligibly crossed and we had nary different action but to return action."