Vondrousova Gets Four Year Ban for Missing Doping Test
Refusing to take a doping test will take Marketa Vondrousova off the tour for four years.
2023 Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova has been handed a four-year suspension from tennis after an independent tribunal ruled she refused an anti-doping test in December 2025.
The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) confirmed the sanction following an out-of-competition testing attempt at Vondrousova’s home on December 3, 2025. According to anti-doping regulations, refusing a test carries the same baseline penalty as testing positive to prevent players from avoiding longer bans.
The 26-year-old Czech, who reached a career-high ranking of world No. 6 in 2023 and has not played on tour since January in Adelaide, addressed the incident on social media ahead of the ruling. In an Instagram statement in April, Vondrousova shared her perspective, stating, “The recent doping control incident happened because I reached a breaking point after months of physical and mental stress.”
During her hearing, Vondrousova argued that safety concerns, severe stress, and poor mental health heavily impacted her decision-making at the time of the test. While the tribunal reviewed her explanation along with testimony from the Doping Control Officer, it ultimately concluded there was “no compelling justification” for the refusal.
“I never thought I’d be writing something like this, and honestly, I would not wish what I have been through over the past few months on anyone,” she said in an instagram statement after the ban had been announced.
In that statement, she once again insisted on her innocence.
“I have never had a positive test,” she affirmed. “Throughout my entire career, I have undergone countless antidoping controls, and have always stepped onto the court with a clear conscience. Just 3 days after the incident that ultimately changed my life, I was tested again. The result was negative, just like every test before it.”
ITIA CEO Karen Moorhouse acknowledged the immense pressure and scrutiny professional athletes face but emphasized that unpredictable testing is vital to protecting clean sport. In the ITIA’ statement on the hearing, Moorhouse noted that testing staff are highly trained, match the player’s gender, carry proper identification, and can have their identities verified by players if needed.
Vondrousova’s suspension is set to run until June 21, 2030. Under the terms of the ban, she is barred from playing, coaching, or attending any official events sanctioned by the ITF, WTA, ATP, Grand Slams, or national associations. The ITIA noted that confidential mental health and wellbeing support will be made available to her during this time.
Some, like journalist Jon Wertheim, wonder about the harshness of a four-year ban without an actual positive test.
Vondrousova, the ITIA, and the Czech national anti-doping organization all retain the right to appeal the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
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