In 2017, I was suspended by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) for two years for refusing to co-operate in doping testing. I was in Portugal together with a group of trainers. I was playing in my first international tournament for 9.5 years.

I was about sign up for the event, and at that moment I was tapped on my shoulder. "Do you want to come with me for a doping check?", someone asks. It turned out to be a doping officer that wanted to take doping tests. Before I went to Portugal I had completed a compulsory e-learning course on doping, but this did not prepare me for what was about to happen. The real surprise came when I was taken to a cold changing room under the canteen.

There was 1 doping officer while the room was filled with 10-15 tennis players and 2 coaches (which turned out, were not even allowed to be there). It was a messy and chaotic scene. Upon entering the basement, I was told that I had to do a blood test. I immediately explained to the officer that I had bad experiences with taking blood and did not want a blood test. The doping control officer brought in the ITF supervisor, and they both tried to persuade me to do the test anyway because otherwise I would not be able to participate in the tournament and could be suspended by the ITF. The doping officer explained to me that there was no chance that I would be allowed to do a urine test instead of a blood test. After I had clearly stated that I really did not want to do the blood test they contacted someone from the head office. They asked for my information and then I did not hear from them for the next hour. During their discussions with the ITF, I stayed in the changing room with other players who had to be tested. One of those players was afraid of needles. Because it went pretty messy, the doping controller was non-stop very busy preparing and performing tests and the player that was afraid of needles decided to just walk out. When they asked him what he was going to do, he said that he would like to take off his vest because it was quite cold. Once he got up, he walked out and nobody said anything about it. With him there were two other players that did the same, sometime after this first player left. Players just walked out of the locker room without anything being asked.

After waiting for over an hour the ITF supervisor entered the locker room and told me that instead of the blood test, I can do a urine test instead. They did not give an explanation for why I was now suddenly allowed to do a urine test instead of a blood test, after first stating very clearly there was no way I could participate if I did not do a blood test. I did the urine test, and miraculously I was allowed to participate in the tournament the next day and also in the following days. I had been at the courts to play in the tournament for 4 days, every day and during these days my supervisor did not say anything more about the tests. Because they had contacted the ITF and I was suddenly able to do a urine test, I got the impression that given my situation, I was 27 years, and not having played in an international tournament for 9.5 years, and having a full time job, they felt that I did not belong to the 'target group' of the ITF.

I went back home and went back to work. After 1.5 months I suddenly received an email from the ITF containing a message that I have a doping violation and that I will get a punishment. In the email I read that I can get a suspension of 4 years. Initially, I didn't really know what to do with it. I double checked the email address, and it turned out to be real. Also in this period I had received an email stating that they had not found any banned substances in my urine.

I was confused and finally I contacted the KNLTB who initially helped me with a first response. After this first response I was given a lawyer and quickly I got a second lawyer who both assisted me pro deo in my case. After several consultations by telephone and Skype calls, finally a hearing was scheduled session in London by the end of October. One of my lawyers was so nice to let me stay in her apartment so I would not have costs from having to stay in a hotel.

During the hearing, it quickly becomes clear that there is no possibility of me getting less than two years, despite being an amateur player, and despite having done a urine test that was negative. I get banned for two years, to the surprise of many, and because of it my case got a lot of media attention in the Netherlands. I am banned for two years, for refusing to do a blood test, despite the fact that we agreed on replacing the blood test with a urine test, as the doping officer confirmed to me after the long discussion with the doping officer, and after the doping officer consulted officials from the ITF about my case. In addition the urine test turned out to be negative. What I found difficult about the whole thing is that I couldn't practice my hobby for two years. Tennis is not my profession. Fortunately, I am now playing tennis again. I don't expect anything like that to happen to me again. The chances that I will play an international tournament again are small, and if I can do it again, it will probably be in the Netherlands where the conditions during the test are undoubtedly better than in Portugal.

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