LYCOS RETRIEVER 
Mariano Puerta: French Open
built 229 days ago
Mariano Puerta of Argentina received the longest doping ban in tennis history Wednesday, which effectively ends his career. Puerta, 27, received an eight-year ban for testing positive for the cardiac stimulant etilefrine after losing to Rafael Nadal in the French Open final on June 5.
Source:
Argentina's Mariano Puerta reacts as he plays Spain's Rafael Nadal during the final of the French Open at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris. Nadal beat Puerta 6-7 (6) 6-3 6-1,7-5 to win.
Source:
Mariano Puerta , the world No 10, failed a dope test after the French Open final in June. Puerta, who faces a lifetime ban if found guilty of the alleged offence because he was
Source:
Nadal and Puerta, who beat Russian Nikolay Davydenko 6-3, 5-7, 2-6, 6-4, 6-4, will play in their first major final. It will be the first all-lefty men's final at Roland Garros in the Open era. Nadal will try to become the first man since Mats Wilander in 1982 to win the French Open in his debut.
Source:
Everyone was looking for the slightest sign that Puerta might be slowing up. There was none. He continued to hit with enormous venom and many of his shots might have been outright winners against any player other than Nadal, whose defensive play is breathtaking. Pricelessly he ... has the ability to switch into attack in an instant. It made for a wonderful opening, with Puerta taking a tie-break of intense drama 8-6.
Source:
The Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne (CAS) has upheld the decision of the Independent Tribunal in the case of Mariano Puerta that a Doping Offence has been committed. However CAS has reduced the suspension from eight years to two years from the date of the positive doping test on 5 June 2005. Mariano Puerta will be eligible to return to competition on 5 June 2007. The ranking points and prize money from the 2005 French Open and all subsequent competitions shall be forfeited (half the prize money awarded to the doubles pair, in the case of doubles competition).
Source:
MORE ABOUT
French Open