Lleyton Hewitt, the Australian Davis Cup captain and former world primary, has been handed a two-week suspension and fined AUS$30,000 (round €17,000) for offensive conduct in direction of an anti-doping official, the Worldwide Tennis Integrity Company (ITIA) confirmed on Tuesday.
The sanction will probably be efficient from September 24 to October 7, 2025, in order to not have an effect on the Davis Cup the place Australia faces Belgium subsequent Saturday, and through that point, Hewitt will be unable to carry out any tennis-related duties, together with teaching, mentoring or captaincy.
A lift for the 2024 Davis Cup in Malaga
On November 23, 2024, Australia misplaced within the semifinals of the Davis Cup to Italy in Malaga, and after the match, the previous tennis participant, winner of two Grand Slam titles, pushed a volunteer who was performing as an anti-doping escort
The previous world primary denied the cost, claiming self-defense, however the ITIA’s investigation – which included video evaluation, witness statements and interviews – decided that his habits breached Article 7.15.1.1 of the Tennis Anti-Doping Programme (TADP).
His conduct was neither cheap nor proportionate
The case was reviewed by an impartial tribunal chaired by Michael Heron KC, which after a number of periods held in June and July 2025 in Sydney, concluded that Hewitt’s model “didn’t meet the necessities of self-defence” and that his conduct “was neither cheap nor proportionate”.
“The actions of the person had been unacceptable and haven’t any place in our sport,” mentioned ITIA CEO Karen Moorhouse. “The choice to impose a lifetime ban was the suitable one in these circumstances.”
