Former French road cycling champion Marc Madiot believes Djokovic should be punished for refusing a pre-match doping test: "You always know the doping test schedule and someone will follow you that day. He will follow you to the locker room, where you go to the toilet or even to the press conference room.
I know some doping is for a very limited time. So they have to test you before the competition. You can't refuse to take a sample, that's the rule. In cycling, if you refuse a doping test, you will definitely get a penalty."
Djokovic refuses doping test before Davis Cup 2023 match (Photo: AP).
In the Davis Cup 2023 quarter-finals between Serbia and Great Britain last week, Djokovic was asked to take a doping test before his match against Cameron Norrie. However, Nole only took the drug test after the match, which he won easily with a score of 6-3, 6-4.
Djokovic was upset about the issue: "I told the organizer that I had never encountered this before. He sat in a corner and watched me all day. This is unacceptable. I support doping tests, but not before the match."
Finishing 2023 with three Grand Slam titles, Djokovic is aiming to defend his Australian Open title early next year, where he faces challenges from Sinner, Alcaraz and especially longtime rival Rafael Nadal.
Nadal will compete in the ATP 250 Brisbane International in Australia on December 31 and aim for the 2024 Australian Open. Although he is ranked 663rd in the world , Nadal is still allowed to participate in major tournaments based on wildcards or ranking rules (players who are absent due to injury for at least 6 months are allowed to submit a request to defend their ranking to the ATP when they return).
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