The 2023 Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova has been banned from tennis for four years for refusing to allow a doping control officer to enter her home to administer a test.
The incident occurred in December 2025, and the Czech claimed the reason she refused to take a test was because she feared for her safety, suffering an ‘acute stress reaction’.
But on Monday, an independent tribunal handed down the maximum four-year penalty, with the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) explaining: ‘The starting point for a sanction when a player refuses a test must be the same as if they had tested positive. This is to ensure that anyone who is doping cannot serve a shorter ban simply by refusing to be tested.’
At the time, Vondrousova posted on social media: ‘The recent doping control incident happened because I reached a breaking point after months of physical and mental stress.
‘When someone rang my door late at night without properly identifying themselves or following protocol – I reacted as a person who felt scared.
‘In that moment it was about feeling safe, not about avoiding anything.’
Marketa Vondrousova, the 2023 Wimbledon champion, has been banned for four years for refusing a doping test
The ITA have denied Vondrousova’s claim that the doping officer – a woman – did not identify themselves and said that the Czech player signed a confirming she reufsed to take the test
The ITIA denied that the doping officer – a woman – did not identify themselves, and say that Vondrousova actually signed a form confirming that she refused to take the test.
The four-year ban might seem incredibly harsh, compared for example to Jenson Brooksby who was banned for 18 months – reduced to 13 – for missing three doping tests. The reasoning is that active refusal is far more serious than missing a test, and that the punishment must be draconian otherwise dopers could simply refuse to take tests and get a lesser suspension than if they were caught.
Karen Moorhouse, CEO of the ITIA, said: ‘Safety and welfare of players and our testers is really important to us. Our testers are well-trained, professional, and the gender of our testing witness always matches the player. They carry ID at all times, and players are able to verify their identity in other ways if they are ever unsure.
‘Unpredictable testing is an essential tool to protect clean sport. The independent tribunal ultimately supported that principle. This case is an important reminder that players can be tested at any time, in any place, and that refusal comes with significant risk.’
The ITIA confirmed that Vondrousova had submitted medical evidence of suffering from a psychological condition but added that – while they cannot comment on the judgement of the independent tribunal whose findings will be published in due course – the bar for such a defence is extremely high.
Vondrousova is 26, so will be 30 when she returns. Given the uphill struggle of getting back to her best after four years out, the current suspension must come close to ending her career.
