Nick Kyrgios was provisionally suspended from professional tennis after an in-competition sample he provided at an ATP tournament in Mallorca on 22 June 2026 tested positive for benzoylecgonine, a cocaine metabolite. The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) made the suspension effective on 4 August, barring him from competing in, coaching at or attending events sanctioned by the ATP, WTA, Grand Slam tournaments and national associations. The measure was provisional while the case was assessed. The reported outcome was a one-month suspension, which expired on 3 September 2026, subject to successful completion of an approved treatment programme.
Reporting on the case said the applicable rules provided for a three-month suspension, with a further reduction available if a player entered an ITIA-approved treatment programme. Kyrgios entered the programme, and the reported sanction was reduced to one month. He also forfeited €6,570 in prize money and the ranking points he earned at the Mallorca event. The suspension and forfeiture were separate consequences of the case.
The positive test came during the Mallorca ATP event, where Kyrgios lost in the first round to Adam Walton. The case was treated as an in-competition anti-doping matter because the sample was collected during the tournament, although the reported circumstances described the cocaine use as recreational and unrelated to sporting performance. That distinction can affect the sanction under anti-doping rules, but the sample remains an in-competition test.
The ITIA said Kyrgios had the right to appeal the provisional suspension. In a public statement on Instagram, he acknowledged his mistake, accepted responsibility and expressed regret to his supporters, family, sponsors and young fans. He also announced a 28-day break from social media and public appearances to focus on his personal recovery.
Kyrgios, who has struggled with knee and wrist injuries in recent years, had played only four singles matches that season. His most recent appearance was in men's doubles at Wimbledon, where he and Alexander Bublik lost in the first round. The 31-year-old said his ongoing injuries had taken a impressive toll on his mental and physical health, making it difficult to meet his own expectations on court. He described coming to terms with the possible end of his career as unexpectedly challenging, while emphasizing that those struggles did not excuse his actions.
Cocaine is classified under anti-doping rules as a prohibited stimulant and a substance of abuse. The applicable consequences depend on the circumstances, including whether use was connected to sporting performance. The World Anti-Doping Agency’s 2027 Prohibited List, due to take effect on 1 January 2027, includes greater flexibility and rehabilitation-focused options for certain recreational-drug cases unrelated to sporting performance, as outlined by the ITIA.
Kyrgios has long been a controversial figure in tennis, known for on-court outbursts, fines for unsportsmanlike conduct and public disputes with officials. In 2023, he admitted to assaulting a former girlfriend but avoided a criminal conviction. His social media activity has also drawn criticism, including for sharing content from controversial figures and making remarks described as misogynistic. He has criticized the handling of anti-doping cases involving Jannik Sinner and Iga Swiatek, calling the process “disgusting” for the sport.
Despite his off-court controversies, Kyrgios has won seven ATP Tour singles titles and reached the 2022 Wimbledon final, where he lost to Novak Djokovic. He also won the 2022 Australian Open men's doubles title with Thanasi Kokkinakis. Kyrgios has spoken openly about mental health challenges, revealing that he contemplated suicide and spent time in a psychiatric hospital after a Wimbledon defeat in 2019.
The ITIA oversees integrity matters in tennis, including anti-doping and match-fixing, as well as other breaches. Its rules distinguish between mandatory and voluntary provisional suspensions, with the procedure depending on the substance and governing provisions. In Kyrgios’s case, the Mallorca sample led to a provisional suspension before the reported sanction and treatment-programme outcome were established.
