By Lauren Lynch
Photo Credit: Beverly Balowsky

(April 14, 2011) American Wayne Odesnik took time to give his side of the story to Douglas Robson of USA Today on the doping controversy that has plagued his career since the 2010 Australian Open.

Odesnik was given a two year ban after being caught with the possession of eight vials of Human Growth Hormone at the airport in Australia. He pleaded guilty for possession of the drug but did not test positive for the drug. He originally claimed that the drug had been prescribed by a doctor to treat injuries, however, he later confessed that he purchased the drug online under the advice of two unnamed doctors in court. The ban was lifted because Odesnik was helpful to and cooperative with the ITF’s anti-doping program and began to play again on December 29, 2010. He has been successful in a couple of challengers since.

Many rumors surfaced around the investigation as far as the details were concerned and the information Odesnik traded for the halfing of his sentence. This still remains a mystery.

"One of the things we have to be very careful about is saying anything that would violate the confidentiality we have with the ITF," Christophe Lyons, Odesnik's lawyer, said. "How he got it, where he got it, where he paid for it, whether it was a doctor's prescription or over the Internet — all that stuff — we are not going to be able to discuss that."

Odesnik continues to maintain his innocence and says the ordeal was a costly mistake and misunderstanding. He said that he was only going to use the HGH after he had permission to do so to treat shoulder/ back injuries and that he was unaware that the possession of the drug was against any violations.

"If I knew it, I wouldn't have done it. It was an honest mistake, and I've paid the price for it," said Odesnik.

"I did not know that the sole possession of any banned substance at that time was a violation," he said. "I know if you take something and test positive it's a violation, but seeing as I've never taken it, I never thought that with a doctor's consultation or whatever that it would be a doping violation."

Many of his fellow Americans were not happy with his actions and spoke out at the US Men Houston Clay Court Championships, the last tournament he played before his suspension, last year.

Journalist Robson pointed out, however, that Odesnik had taken no time off for any injuries previous to the incident, there was no proof that he was going to consult officials, doping expert Gary Wadler claims HGH is performance enhancing but not used for injury treatment, and that the supposed doctors remain unnamed. Some how the story seems to not add up. Not to mention that he has been training with his coach, Guillermo Canas, who was ironically banned for 15 months due to a doping scandal. Peculiar but remember- innocent until proven guilty!

"It really brought the love of tennis back to me when I realized it could go away so fast," said the World No. 514 Odesnik in some of the wisest words yet for anyone who has been forced out of the game.

He plans on rebuilding his reputation and working on his tennis.

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Catch Tennis Now's interview with Odesnik at the US Men's Clay Court Championships last year after the incident had taken place and before the trial: