Agassi: Tennis is tough on doping
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MELBOURNE, Australia -- Andre Agassi says tennis is leading the fight against drug use in sport, despite Greg Rusedski's admission that he tested positive for nandrolone at a tournament last July.
Rusedski says he is among 47 players to have tested for the banned substance which he claims was unintentionally distributed in supplements distributed by ATP trainers.
"One thing we can say for sure is our sport is leading, if not the top, sport in drug testing," said Agassi.
"It's not more possible to get more aggressive with the goal of maintaining the integrity of our sport," added the Australian Open champion, who said he had been tested 19 times during the 2003 season.
"I have full confidence I am playing someone who is clean."
Agassi, preparing for the invitational Kooyong Classic event ahead his Open defense, said it was important for Rusedski and the ATP to get to the bottom of the an affair that has already overshadowed the build-up to the first grand slam of the year.
"We need to get to the bottom of something that's crucial to our integrity and that's going to require everybody accepting
responsibility and it's going to require keeping useless and irresponsible quotes out of the headlines," said Agassi.
"I can't speak for Greg's situation because I don't know it. Again, I think that the right thing to do for Greg, as well as the governing bodies, is to be responsible and diligent in their efforts to get to the bottom of it."
Rusedski insists he will be cleared when he faces a doping hearing in Montreal on February 7.
