Troicki says 18-month ban for skipping drug test tantamount to being `treated like a criminal`

Washington: Serbian Davis Cup star Viktor Troicki has been given an 18-month ban by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) for failing to provide a blood sample in a drugs test during April`s Monte Carlo Masters, and has said that he had been `treated like a criminal`.

According to CNN, Troicki has rejected the charge, alleging the doctor conducting the blood test allowed him to miss the procedure and says he will now appeal the decision. The Serbian said that the doctor in charge of the testing had told him that he looked very pale and ill and could skip the test if he wrote an explanation letter to the ITF about it, adding that the doctor dictated the letter to him, letting him go without giving blood. The 27-year-old confirmed that he underwent a test the following day by the same doping control officer with the result coming back negative, the report said. Troicki will appeal against the decision at Court of Arbitration for Sport, the report added. ANI