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Doping controversies cast shadow over Argentine successes
(China Daily/Agencies)
Updated: 2005-10-13 06:12
Sore leg
Puerta, banned for nine months after testing positive for clenbuterol in a
2003 tournament in Chile, is the current No 10.
He reached the final at Roland Garros in June after which he tested positive
for a stimulant, the French daily L'Equipe reported last week.
The Argentine, whose physical trainer was former Olympic weightlifter Dario
Lecman, denied knowingly taking a banned substance. He said he had taken
anti-inflammatory tablets given to him by a doctor for a sore leg.
Dr Nestor Lentini, who is attached to the Argentine government's Sports
Secretariat, was critical of Puerta, saying: "A sportsman has to know what he
can and can't take.
"A final like Roland Garros is too important and a sportsman who gets to that
stage needs to be well informed."
Other Argentines who have faced suspensions include world No 8 Guillermo
Coria, who served a seven-month ban after testing positive for nandrolone in
2001. He was later absolved when he was found to have taken a contaminated
supplement.
Juan Ignacio Chela was suspended for three months in 2001 for taking a
steroid and doubles player Mariano Hood is awaiting judgement after testing
positive at Roland Garros for a hair-loss substance banned since November 2004
as a masking agent.
The Argentine Tennis Association (AAT) has blamed a lack of funds for the
failure to address the problem.
Former national technical director Fernando Segal said: "We didn't have the
budget to look after these problems.
"Technically we are among the best countries in the
world in producing players, but scientifically we're in the Third World."
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