Nick Kyrgios has spent years embracing a bad-boy image, helping build his brand, including a podcast. The hope was that the image didn't indicate the tennis player's true self. That might not be the case, though.
The Australian has been banned by the International Integrity Tennis Agency (ITIA) for testing positive for benzoylecgonine, a metabolite of cocaine. His suspension could last as long as four years, basically putting an end to a career that never unfolded the way many hoped.
According to the ITIA, Kyrgios has not yet appealed his ban, which has been in place since August 4 due to a failed drug test on June 22 while Kyrgios was involved in the Mallorca Championships. Potentially, the player won't appeal and would accept any length of suspension handed down.
Nick Kyrgios faces a ban from tennis after testing positive for cocaine
He responded to the announcement of the suspension on Instagram. He admitted his mistake, but those who haven't been fans of how Kyrgios approaches tennis might not be satisfied with his contrition.
In part, the Australian wrote (as tweeted by tennis writer Ben Rothenberg), "I recently failed a drug test in Mallorca after testing positive for cocaine. I made a huge mistake, and I take full responsibility for it. I'm sorry to my fans, my family, my sponsors, and everyone close to me. Above all, I'm sorry to the kids who follow me. I know the example this sets, and I'm deeply disappointed in myself."
That is fair, of course. And at least Nick Kyrgios didn't try to deny or hide from what happened. He didn't stop at the apology, however.
He added, "I'm not going to make excuses, but I do want to give some context about where I've been. The last couple of years of injuries have taken a huge toll on me, both physically and mentally. My body hasn't been able to do what my mind expects it to do, and coming to terms with being near the end of my career has been harder than I ever imagined."
That last part many might push back on. One shouldn't immediately follow an apology with, "I'm not going to make excuses, but..." Many will likely infer that what is about to be said is a bunch of excuses.
Many tennis fans might also have assumed, right or wrong, that Kyrgios was not a good person because of how he sold himself to those who follow the sport. He wanted to be seen as an outsider, a loose cannon, and, unfortunately, his testing positive for cocaine will only reinforce the thinking that Kyrgios wasn't putting on an act and that he definitely was an unsavory character.
Of course, one huge mistake doesn't mean it has to define a person. No one was injured by Nick Kyrgios taking cocaine, other than himself. He likely won't face criminal charges in Spain, the nation where the Mallorca Championships take place, for having cocaine, though, as the country has decriminalized personal possession of the drug.
What comes next for Kyrgios isn't known, of course. Whatever sponsors he had might disappear. He might never play professional tennis again, either. Let's hope all the material wealth he has gained from the sport is long-lasting. Otherwise, his cocaine mistake could last the rest of his life.
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