The International Tennis Integrity Agency has cleared three South American ATP players to return to competition after investigations linked their positive doping tests to contaminated meat. The players tested positive for boldenone during an ATP Challenger event in Bogota, Colombia, last year. This decision highlights ongoing concerns about food safety in tennis.
On February 18, 2026, the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) announced that Conner Huertas del Pino of Peru, Mateo Barreiros Reyes of Brazil, and Andrés Urrea of Colombia are cleared to compete again. The ruling followed a detailed anti-doping investigation into positive tests for boldenone, a prohibited anabolic agent under the 2025 World Anti-Doping Agency Prohibited List (section S1 [1.1]). None of the players had a Therapeutic Use Exemption for the substance, classified as non-specified.
The samples were collected on May 14, 2025, during an ATP Challenger event in Bogota, Colombia. Each player's A and B samples confirmed low-level presence of boldenone. On July 7, 2025, the ITIA issued pre-charge notices under Articles 2.1 and 2.2 of the Tennis Anti-Doping Programme, imposing mandatory provisional suspensions that began immediately. The players did not request a review to lift these suspensions.
During the suspension, the athletes submitted evidence, including meal logs, purchase receipts, and details on meat sources, showing the substance entered their systems via contaminated meat. The ITIA's parallel probe, involving interviews, document reviews, and input from WADA-accredited scientists, deemed the explanation scientifically plausible. As a result, the agency issued no-fault-or-negligence decisions, allowing their return.
This incident underscores broader issues with contaminated meat in Latin America. Similar cases include British player Tara Moore, who tested positive for boldenone and nandrolone in April 2022 in Colombia; she was initially cleared in December 2023 but received a four-year ban after an ITIA appeal. ITIA chief executive Karen Moorhouse stated, “For the ITIA, every case is considered according to the individual facts and circumstances.” Brazilian Nicolas Zanellato also claimed contaminated meat after a June 25, 2024, test in Ibagué, Colombia.
In response, ATP Acapulco organizers this year excluded red meat from player meals, opting for alternatives like eggs and fish. Officials called the change “purely preventive” to safeguard eligibility and integrity. The ITIA has warned players since October 2022 about risks in Central and South America, plus countries like China, Mexico, and Guatemala, urging non-meat proteins.
