Nick Kyrgios provisionally suspended after positive cocaine test in Mallorca
Nick Kyrgios, the 31-year-old Australian, has been provisionally suspended from tennis after testing positive for cocaine following a sample taken at an ATP 250 event in Mallorca in June, the International Tennis Integrity Agency confirmed on 19 August 2026. Kyrgios disclosed the failed test on Instagram, writing: "I recently failed a drug test in Mallorca after testing positive for cocaine. I made a huge mistake and I take full responsibility for it."
The ITIA statement said "31-year-old Kyrgios provided a sample during an ATP 250 event in Mallorca, Spain, on 22 June 2026" and that "On 17 July 2026, a World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada)-accredited laboratory confirmed the presence of benzoylecgonine, a metabolite of cocaine." The agency noted that "Cocaine is a stimulant and substance of abuse on the Wada Prohibited List and is banned in competition under the Tennis Anti-Doping Programme." Because of the substance involved, the ITIA said a provisional suspension is mandatory and "has been in place since 4 August 2026." Kyrgios retains the right to appeal.
Kyrgios posted a longer apology on Instagram that opened, "I wanted you to hear this from me first," and included further admission: "I’m sorry to my fans, my family, my sponsors and everyone close to me. Above all, I’m sorry to the kids who follow me. I know the example this sets and I’m deeply disappointed in myself." He also wrote that recent injuries had taken a toll on him "both physically and mentally" and that he would step away from public life, adding: "For the next 28 days, I’ll be stepping away from social media and public life while I focus on getting myself right."
The article recalled earlier sanctions for cocaine in tennis, noting that in 2017 British No 1 Dan Evans was given a 12-month ban after testing positive at the Barcelona Open. It added that "Wada rules have since changed and stipulate a three-month suspension for out of competition offences," and that such bans "can be reduced further to one month if the athlete agrees to undertake an approved programme of rehabilitation," a route taken by "South Africa fast bowler Kasigo Rabada after he tested positive for cocaine last year."
Kyrgios has been a contentious figure in the sport and reached the Wimbledon final in 2022, where he was defeated by Novak Djokovic; he achieved a highest world ranking of 13 in 2016. The article said injuries have limited his play in recent seasons, that he "has not played in a grand slam since the 2025 Australian Open," and that he participated in the "Battle of the Sexes" against Aryna Sabalenka in Dubai last December.
The immediate implications are procedural: the provisional suspension has been imposed and its ultimate length will depend largely on whether the ITIA treats the finding as in-competition or out-of-competition, and Kyrgios may appeal the decision. Kyrgios has asked for privacy during his 28-day break from social media while he addresses the matter.