Andy Murray calls for introducing ‘more blood testing’ in tennis

Wellington: Andy Murray has called for introducing more blood testing in tennis to avoid the kind of damaging doping scandals that plagued cycling.

Murray feels the sport`s authorities need to invest more heavily in anti-doping programmes, even if it means siphoning funds from players` prize money. He stressed that authorities must do everything to ensure that everyone competing at the highest level and below is clean. Doping in sport has come under close scrutiny following the Lance Armstrong scandal. The American cyclist was stripped of all seven of his Tour de France titles last year following an investigation by the United States Anti-Doping Agency. Last month Armstrong admitted he had taken banned substances during all seven of his Tour wins. Murray`s comments come after 17-times grand slam champion Roger Federer said last year that the number of out of competition blood tests carried out in tennis had declined. ANI