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Max Purcell admits doping violation: U.S. Open doubles champion enters provisional suspension

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Max Purcell admits doping violation: U.S. Open doubles champion enters provisional suspension

2024 U.S. Open men’s doubles champion Max Purcell has admitted breaking anti-doping rules and has been provisionally suspended from tennis while under investigation.

Purcell has been suspended since December 12, having made the admission and requested to be provisionally suspended December 10. The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) confirmed the suspension December 23, saying that the Australian, 26, breached rules relating to the use of a “prohibited method,” rather than any positive test for a banned substance.

Purcell said in a statement on Instagram: “I have voluntarily accepted a provisional suspension since I unknowingly received an IV infusion of vitamins above the allowable limit of 100ml. Until last week when I received medical records from a clinic showing that the amount of an IV I received was above 100ml, I was fully convinced I had done everything to ensure that I had followed the WADA regulations and methods.

“But the records show that the IV was over the 100ml limit, even though I told the clinic that I was a professional athlete and needed the IV to be under 100ml.”

According to the World Anti-Doping Authority (WADA), “infusions or injections of 100 ml or less within a 12-hour period are permitted unless the infused/injected substance is on the Prohibited List.”

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A “prohibited method” comes under three possible definitions in the WADA code: blood manipulation, widely referred to as blood doping; chemical and physical manipulation, which extends to all forms of tampering or doctoring either blood or urine samples and also covers intravenous infusions; and gene and cell doping. Purcell’s violation falls under chemical and physical manipulation.

The ITIA has not yet commented on the specifics of Purcell’s violation.

As the suspension is provisional, it is unclear how much tennis Purcell will miss but that time will be credited against any ultimate sanction when the investigation into his case concludes. He was absent from the Australian Open’s list of singles wildcards despite being ranked world No. 105, just outside the cut-off for entries to the main draw.

Doubles entry lists have not yet been released, but Purcell, who won the U.S. Open title in September with compatriot Jordan Thompson and is ranked world No. 12 in doubles was in line to enter his home major. Purcell also won the Wimbledon men’s title with Matt Ebden, another Australian, in 2022.

Purcell is the third major champion in 2024 to be charged with an anti-doping violation. Defending Australian Open champion and world No. 1 Jannik Sinner, who twice tested positive for the banned substance clostebol in March, was found not to be at fault by three independent tribunals convened by the ITIA. Sinner, who also won the U.S. Open title, is awaiting the result of a WADA appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), which could see him banned for up to two years.

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French Open champion Iga Swiatek, who tested positive for trimetazidine (TMZ) in August, served a one-month ban. 22 days of that ban were covered by her provisional suspension, which saw her miss three tournaments. Swiatek was deemed not to be at significant fault.

GO DEEPER

Jannik Sinner’s doping case explained: What WADA appeal means and what is at stake for tennis

(Clive Brunskill / Getty Images)

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Try This Quiz on Thrilling Books That Became Popular Movies

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Try This Quiz on Thrilling Books That Became Popular Movies

Welcome to Great Adaptations, the Book Review’s regular multiple-choice quiz about printed works that have gone on to find new life as movies, television shows, theatrical productions and more. This week’s challenge highlights thrillers first published as novels (or graphic novels) that were adapted into popular films. Just tap or click your answers to the five questions below. And scroll down after you finish the last question for links to the books and their screen versions.

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Test Your Knowledge of the Authors and Events That Helped Shape the United States

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Test Your Knowledge of the Authors and Events That Helped Shape the United States

Welcome to Lit Trivia, the Book Review’s regular quiz about books, authors and literary culture. In honor of Gen. George Washington’s birthday on Feb. 22, this week’s super-size challenge is focused on the literature and history related to the American Revolution. In the 10 multiple-choice questions below, tap or click on the answer you think is correct. After the last question, you’ll find links to exhibits, books and other materials related to this intense chapter in the country’s story, including an award-winning biography of the general and first U.S. president.

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Video: How Much Do You Know About Romance Books?

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Video: How Much Do You Know About Romance Books?

Let’s play romance roulette. No genre has dominated the books world in the last few years. Like romance, it accounts for the biggest percentage of book sales, their avid fan bases. Everyone has been talking about romance as a Book Review editor and as a fan of the genre myself, I put together a to z glossary of 101 terms that you should know if you want to understand the world of romance are cinnamon roll. You may think a cinnamon roll is a delicious breakfast treat, but in a romance novel, this refers to a typically male character who is so sweet and tender and precious that you just want to protect him and his beautiful heart from the world. Ooh, a rake. This is basically the Playboy of historical romance. He defies societal rules. He drinks, he gambles. He’s out on the town all night and is a very prolific lover with a bit of a reputation as a ladies’ man. FEI these are super strong, super sexy, super powerful, immortal, fairy like creatures. One of my favorite discoveries in terms that I learned was stern brunch daddy. A lot of daddy’s usually a male love interest who seems very intimidating and alpha, but then turns out to be a total softie who just wants to make his love interest brunch. I think there’s a misconception that because these books can follow these typical patterns, that they can be predictable and boring. But I think what makes a really great romance novel is the way that these writers use the tropes in interesting ways, or subvert them. If you can think of it, there’s probably a romance novel about it. Oops, there’s only one bed. This is one of my personal favorite tropes is a twist on forced proximity. Characters find themselves in very close quarters, where inevitably sparks start to fly. Why choose is the porkulus dose of the romance world. Sometimes the best way to resolve a love triangle is by turning it into a circle, where everyone is invited to play. Oops, we lost one spice level. There’s a really wide spectrum. You can range from really low heat or no spice, what might also be called kisses. Only then you start to get into what we call closed door or fade to Black. These books go right up to the moment of intimacy, and then you get into what we call open door, which is more explicit. And sometimes these can get very high heat or spicy and even start verging into kink. There’s one thing that almost every romance novel has in common. It’s that no matter what the characters get up to in the end, it ends with a happily ever after. I say almost every romance novel. Sometimes you’re just happy for now.

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