Nick Kyrgios has accepted a one-month suspension after testing positive for cocaine, the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) announced. The 31-year-old Australian failed a drugs test during an ATP Tour event in Mallorca in June 2026 and was provisionally suspended last month.
ITIA reduces suspension after treatment agreement
The ITIA stated that Kyrgios agreed to attend a treatment programme approved by the agency, which reduced his suspension from three months to one month. As a result, Kyrgios' suspension is already complete, as his provisional ban ran from 4 August 2026 to 3 September 2026.
The ITIA said Kyrgios' explanation that he used cocaine "socially during a night out" was "consistent with the level of cocaine found in his sample." Consequently, the ITIA accepted that his use of cocaine occurred outside of competition and was subject to a lighter penalty.
Kyrgios apologises on Instagram
After his provisional suspension was announced last month, Kyrgios admitted he had made "a huge mistake." In an Instagram post, he wrote: "I wanted you to hear this from me first. 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. 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."
Career struggles and ranking decline
Kyrgios' first-round loss to fellow Australian Adam Walton in Mallorca was his last competitive singles outing and one of only four singles matches he has played this season. His career has been blighted by knee and wrist problems since his run to the Wimbledon final in 2022, and his ranking has slipped to 919 in the world.
He said he would not make "excuses" for the positive test but cited the toll of his physical issues. "My body hasn't been able to do what my mind expects it to do, and coming to terms with being near the end of my career has been harder than I ever imagined," he said. "At times I've felt hopeless and alone. However, the good news is that this has given me a wake-up call."
Kyrgios added he would be taking a 28-day break from social media to focus on "getting myself right," concluding: "I'm sorry, I'll come back better."
