LONDON (AP) — Wayne Odesnik can return to competition next week after the ITF suspended the remaining 12 months of his two-year ban for importing human growth hormone into Australia.
The International Tennis Federation says the ban was cut in half because the American tennis player cooperated with its anti-doping program.
The ITF banned Odesnik in May for possessing HGH, even though he denied using it and never tested positive for the banned substance. The ban was backdated to start Dec. 29, 2009.
The ITF said Wednesday that Odesnik can now compete beginning Dec. 29.
The ITF’s anti-doping program states that the latter part of an athlete’s ban can be suspended “where the participant has provided substantial assistance” in uncovering other offenses.
The ITF did not say how Odesnik helped.
