This piece really touched me Cheryl.Thank you.I've been seeing reactions like "He didnt matter to tennis,anyway"..its just...sad.We..and I mean all of us,are so quick to jump on others mistakes.But we hardly empathise.Hardly try to be in that someone's shoe.Your blog had it all Cheryl.
One cannot condone the act,but one can always have some perspective.This piece speaks for my utter perplexion,shock,empathy and sadness.Gasquet does matter to tennis.Innocent or not,he deserves sympathy.
btw-"I see a confused man-child who has rubbed himself raw in his effort to try to please the people around him."-beautiful line and so true.

Cheryl.....I am going to wait to see what Gasquet has up his sleeve. I say that because tonight have been listening to Peter Fleming on Sky sports who believes that Gasquet could well be innocent. He said that in his experience, he knows of tennis players who have been wrongly accused of taking drugs...Greg Rudzeski for one....do you remember that? was it 2 years ago now?....Greg came out and defended his case, said he was horrified at the accusations and it transpired that he had had the flu....and innocently had been prescribed something from his doctor..... in all innocence..it had traces of a banned substance.....At the time, I thought it was a bluff...but Greg's ban was overturned and all turned out well with the world.

Fleming was saying that some 'drugs' metamorphasise and so it could well be that whatever Richard took...(he had a recent shoulder injury remember).....could have had traces of whatever cocaine has a trace of? I dunno. Fleming was pretty vociferous in what he was saying and said he believed Gasquet. I have put this on another post (below)...but in Gasquet's defence...I am posting here.......what he said on sunday....

PARIS (AP) ? French tennis player Richard Gasquet has acknowledged he's been told he tested positive for cocaine but says he's innocent.

"I am gathering together proof of my innocence and I will choose an appropriate moment to express myself," Gasquet said in a statement Sunday.

Gasquet said the "B" sample from the tournament in Key Biscayne, Fla., confirmed the result of the "A" sample taken the same day.

I enjoyed reading your article though.

Thanks for the info, malteser. The problem with Fleming's argument is that Gasquet wasn't sick in Miami, and he has not, to my knowledge, claimed that some other drug might have been the cuprit.

In addition, reports seem to indicate that the amount of cocaine found in Gasquet's system was something like 2.5 times the amount that was found in Hingis' system.

janhavi, thanks for the kind words. I do indeed empathize with that poor boy. He's always seemed so...unhappy. I simply don't think he's cut out for the strain of competition.

Hi cheryl et al. It said in British press (Guardian) today that Gasquet had admitted taking coke. Gr8 article cheryl, all that pressure from French public, press, his coaches, his parents etc was just too much, taking dope surely gets him out of playing tennis....and the most beautiful backhand in the game. Sad, sad.

deuce: Did Gasquet make a formal statement already? Do you have a link to the article you're talking about, perhaps? Thanks!

This is all just so sad. I feel so bad for him.

Well-written article, Cheryl. Deuce, wonder how he can admit it, yet say he's gathering evidence to defend himself? Weird! I hope he gets himself the help he needs (if it is true) so as not to become more known for his faults than his talent. Tragic!

Here's a link that contains thoughts from Marat Safin, Roger Federer, Fabrice Santoro, Michael Llodra, a writer at ESPN, and the director general of the French Federation.

http://www.gototennisblog.com/2009/05/11/richard-gasquet-suspended -for-cocaine-safin-blames-party-foul/

Thanks for the link, MiniAbre. I don't agree with the writer at ESPN though - cocaine use isn't really the same as drinking scotch. I suppose the point she's trying to make is that it wasn't performance enhancing, which is true.

Poor reeshard, such a shame, I really believe he had it to be World No. 1 and saw more in him than I see in any of the new, talented French crop. Such unfulfilled promise - it just doesn't look like it's ever going to happen for him now :(

why dont ban players for find alcohool in the test?? cocaine dont help to play better i think never should ban a player for this substance... is like they never can go out to party etc etc in all his career what is quite dumb..i understand than subsntaces than improve your tennis must be baned but another drugs are counterproductive to the sports...write someone here that never get drunk, or never tochs the drgs in any case never in his life...came on is so hipodrite..remenber when a italian journalist made test to the members of parliament in italy and the 80 per cent were positive in cocaine.....

Cocaine is still an illegal substance no matter how you use it. Alcohol is not illegal (unless you are underage in the States). Neither one is performance-enhancing, but one is illegal and the other isn't omardenia.

reallyeally nicely written and i appreicate ur point of view. however, u dont feel for gasquet, and i certainly dont empathise with him. taking coke isnt cool, and we have all seen the pics of his and jo dancing with strippers half naked at some club. gasquet, IMO, is a spolit rich boy who has wasted his talent. 2 bad.

gretchen: I read it in Guardian newspaper on Monday. Guess you could try Guardianonline. Would think it's accurate, awful journalism if speculation. Cheers.

this is sad news, isn't it?

i'm teary-eyed cherl with this post..good job...=)

good article cheryl, it can and does happen. I'm sorry to see this happen, so much pressure!

Prince Gasquet I hope this is all a simple misunderstanding. We know you carry the burden of French tennis and would never go this far as to jeopardise your career. Prove you innocence and return to the court with glory and honour. Long live the Prince!!!!

chips...we'll know in a couple of weeks....innocent until proven guilty......he could easily have had a drink spiked/coke slipped into his food....would make a great story if someone was trying to ruin his career....will just have to be patient and the truth will out!

alcohol is a drug no matter how legal is... cocaine is ilegal cos is the second industry after the weapons in the world and if they legalize the drug so many people gonna be fuck up losing this bussiness. what i try to say is cocaine is a drug to recreation... not make you play better... i ban a player that plays under the cocaine effects in a game but no if one player gets a test positive when he takes cocaine in vacacion or holidays..is silly to me..when they are in holydais can take alcohol and after that with the training arrive to fit form...a lot of people use or take drugs once in a life and that's not a big deal...i know is better never take any dfrugs for a tennis pro player but i dont think this kind of drugs makes you play better

hey cheryl , long time no seen , miss your blogs.
richard , the news surprised me ! I really felt angry and disappointed , for someone like him , he have everything , though he might have nohing !
It was really touching , yor blog made feel like crying for him .
I didn't know that he was this type of people . If that was the case , Iral feel sorry and sympathy .
but you know , cocaine is cocaine no matter how you look at it .
I f he was really guity , I can't forgive him no matter what , unless he forgive himself and feel sorry for what he has done.
It' s cocaine what we are talking about , he might waste his life if he got addicted to it!
it's not the thing you can take risk in .
Richard should cherish his life and self , we love him , that's what he have to do for him self .
thank's alot cheryl :)

I share Cheryl's view: it is hard to put any other interpretation on this incident other than a death-wish on the part of Gasquet. He seems to be hoping that proving he is not a habitual user will mitigate in his favour. But, given the punitive and intrusive drug testing rules, for a tennis player to dabble with this drug is tantamount to playing Russian Roulette with his career.

I think to be fair to gasquet, we have to wait and see what his defence is. he says he is innocent and is denying the charges. He went out the night before for dinner in miami, (apparently). Some stranger could easily have put something in his drink/in his food. So while he would be guilty of taking the food/drink (actus reus), he would not have the guilty mind (mens rea) for the crime. If he took this recreational drug during tennis competition, and defence fails then he will be banned for 2 years. If taken recreationally, then a ban only for 3 months. Give the guy the benefit of the doubt until he makes his statement within the next 14 days. He is owed that at least.

You guys should visit this website tennis.com and read the article by Pete Bodo about Gasquet!......also take a peak at the blog.....phew!!!!!

I don't agree with Mr. Bodo that Richie doesn't deserve his fans - that's just an unkind thing to say.

Over and over again we see the argument put forward that so-and-so is providing a poor role model. Rather than bleating about these transgressions parents should use these lapses as a postive force to point out to their kids 'look what happens if you break the rules'.

The Guardian article some you refer to is heresay. The superficial writer just wanted to quickly jump on the 'let's-all-get-on-his case'-bandwagon. The paper contradicts itself too, because in later posts they refer to Gasquet denying.

I am very surprised so many people pretend they know Richard Gasquet and self-righteously feel they also know what's 'wrong' with him. I am a firm believer in that cocaine and pot should not be on the banned substance list. These drugs are recreational drugs and do aboslutely nothing in terms of performance enhancement. Real cheaters are those that use or mask the use of performance enhancing drugs and should be punished. It's totally ridiculous to punish for the use of a recreational drug and give a more severe punishment to a coke or pot user than to the real offenders out there who have used performance enhancing drugs and got away with 2 months to 2 years. Therefore, players should not even be coke or pot tested. So, even though I give the Frenchman the full benefit of the doubt, to me it doesn't really matter if Gasquet took coke or not.
Maybe this interesting link will help in also taking into consideration some other matters/facts:
http://www.tennisencoach.nl/nieuws/nieuws/the-richard-gasquet-case-i i#v4BQbMg6ZNJfLgqLuBfXpw

i've read peter bodo's blog about same issue and it hurts me that the article was a little harsh...i've got to say that cheryl did a pretty good job with this post..i'm saying this not because i'm a cheryl murray fan(which is quite obvious), but this post has much more empathy than others!

(^.^) looking forward to reading more posts from you cheryl!

The world SAW Michael Phelps with the bong. He got what, a 3- or 6-mo. ban from swimming? I don't see why Richard's punishment would be any worse than that. As far as I know, he hasn't admitted it. Even if he did do it, shouldn't he be given a chance to redeem himself in a reasonable amount of time?

When will the "verdict" be handed down?

Rafterfan- How severe the punishment will be is decided by whether the athlete did it during or out of competition. Since it was tested in Miami where he was scheduled to play the ban is longer. If he was caught with a bong during december the punishment would be less severe.

fortheloveoftennis i'm with you

omardenia, thanks... good to hear ! did you check out the link:
http://www.tennisencoach.nl/nieuws/nieuws/the-richard-gasquet-c ase-i i#v4BQbMg6ZNJfLgqLuBfXpw

I am neither a recreational drug user nor a drinker, acutally never have been, but as with alcohol people should be free to live the life style they wish. What some people on this blog forget is that USA's three most recent presidents all admitted to recreational drug use and the war mongering idiot that left the white house a few months ago used to be an alcoholic on top of that, so let's not try and be 'holier than thou'. Tennisfans and the tennisindustry should stand together behind their players and only go after the real offenders.

rafterfan: the doping tribunal will get together about 5 weeks from now

orion: the real debate should not be about when or whether Gasquet took coke, it should be about whether players should be tested at all for non-performance enhancing drugs like coke or hash and whether recreational drugs should be on the 'banned substances list

ed251137: it all depends on whether the rules that are broken are worth the paper they are written on... and... be careful when you want to say to your kids "look what happens when you break the rules..." Obama (and I'm a big fan) broke rules and experimented with coke and he became the leader of the free world. so, if we take that as an example it's actually pretty cool breaking the rules...!

Unconventional advice fortheloveoftennis, but made me think about it. I for one believe in giving people second chances. But that's getting ahead of the story.

ftlof- I was pointing out how the system works now. In my opinion its okay for athletes to be banned for the use of recreational drugs. These people are idols for many so its not okay for them to use drugs. I can understand why the ban is more severe when taken in competition but 2 years is too heavy.

danny: you're absolutely right everybody deserves at least another chance, but if they wouldn't test for recreational drugs we wouldn't even be discussing this

orion: I respect your opinion, but respectfully disagree. Why should idols/athletes be holier. Look at drug-taking musicians that are idolized or over-dosing and DUI actors and fashion models and married presidents and politicians caught with mistresses or prostitutes and/or doing drugs. Almost all of them have done things they have regretted. Don't we and/or children learn more from the 'real world' when we are taught what is right, but that it's OK to make mistakes and learn from these and also learn that NOBODY - including you and me - is perfect. This would teach us not to immediately judge others and be more tolerant towards others.
But to return to the subject: Gasquet has never ever cheated...and - once again - never took performance enhancing drugs or tried to gain an unfair advantage. That's what this is about!

Fortheloveoftennis.........for the love of God!!!!!!!...........do you think if either of those presidents.......including Obama, were still using so-called recreational drugs while campaigning...........that they would be EVER be elected?!!!!

Wait!!!!!..........let me answer that.......NO!!!!!!!!

Ill tell you something about us human beings.....we tend top be extremely hypocrite!!!!!.......as much as you would find some say thats its okay to use 'recreational' drugs.....no one would like to know that their president or the leader of their coutry is a 'recreational' drug user........or an alcoholic!!!!

Or lets say the president or leader was on steriods........be it performance enchancing........everyone WOULD be up in arms!!!!!

So........fortheloveoftennis........lets not go there!!!!!........there is nothing anyone can say to justufy what Gasquet did....if he did.....it is WRONG!!!!!.....period!!!!!

MonaLisa: They re-elected a war criminal in 2004...and I don't think you got the point...tune in to Rush Limbaugh... I'm sure you'll find some consolation

Oh and by the way MonaLisa, you're saying: "Or lets say the president or leader was on steroids.... be it performance enhancing.... everyone would be up in arms!!!"
Let me wake you up: Arnold Schwarzenegger, governor of California - in other words a leader - admitted to using steroids prior to getting elected and subsequently was re-elected... so it seems you don't know that much about human beings after all. Fortunately many seem to be more human than you would like. But, once again, you obvisouly did not get the point as you're bringing up steroids. Gasquet was not caught using steroids.

"They re-elected a war criminal in 2004".........what judge and jury convicted Bush of that? Rush Limbaugh?

Arnie admitted to his use of steroids IN HIS PRIME AS A BODYBUILDER, yet you try to insinuate that it was very recent--lol.

MonaLisa: Forget about him. He wants you to listen to Rush Limbaugh (a fate worse than hell) but won't mention that Rush once stated: "he famously said that drug users "ought to be accused and they ought to be convicted and they ought to be sent up." But yet when Rush was caught with illegal prescription of Oxycontin,Hydrocodone and Locet (30,000 pills worth between 2001-2002), he used his high price lawyer to keep himself out of jail and was basically forced into rehab as a part of the plea deal.

fan4tennis: you didn't get it either. I was being totally sarcastic, but you obviously din't get that subtlety. If you read my posts properly you will find I could never be a fan of Limbaugh - on the contrary, but I figured MonaLisa could be though, based on her quick judgments and I happen to really like Arnie.
So, relax! The (healthy) discussion I was trying to promote was whether athletes should be tested for recreational drugs and/or whether recreational drugs should be on the banned substances list and everbody is entitled to their own opinion about this, but it seems most people on this blog are more slef-righteously concerned with trying to get into the head of Gasquet and the examples 'role models' should give.

OK..... the fact is that cocaine is an illegal drug and if a regular person were caught using it, there could be possibly jail time or other consequences (like losing a job since many companies in the US have a "zero-tolerance" protocol for drugs). My opinion is: An athlete in any sport should not be above the same consequences for an illegal drug.

I agree that cocaine is illegal and should not be tolerated. But what if this was just a result of a one-time, youthful indiscretion? Shouldn't we give him a second chance?

I wish it didn't happen. Lots of IFs in my mind - if only he'd won a major, more matches, acheived more, been mentally stornger, was more confident, etc. He should have got a good sports psyc and had the drive to do better and close out matches espcially when the moment called for it. A 2 yr ban would be disastrous. He's already not doing that well, 2 years out of the game will kill him.

fan4tennis and danny: you're right. coke - according to the law - is illegal in most countries, except for Columbia (for obvious reasons...lol). Also hash/marijuana are illegal in many countries, although many European countries do not consider these (hash/marijuana) recreational drugs illegal and you can freely and legally purchase and use these - as long as it is for personal use - dealing, however, in these drug is indeed illegal.
Now this is where the double standard in drug testing and the banned substance list comes into the picture: 1) Steroid use is NOT against the law in most countries, but it is (correctly) considered a performance enhancing drug by the WADA and ITF and therefore illegal in sports 2) Recreational drugs ARE against the law in most countries but the ITF makes a clear distinction about use in competition and outside competition 3) Recreational drugs are NOT considered performance enhancing drugs and, therefore, not on the list of performance enhancing drugs , but they are on the list of banned substances.
The point I'm trying to make is twofold: A) that the main object of keeping tennis clean, was to punish and suspend those that cheat and use performancing enhancing drugs to gain an unfair advantage. B) The use of recreational drugs could never be considered performance enhancing and in the case of cocaine even has an adverse effect. So, why test for recreational drugs when they are not considered performance enhancing by the same organizations that test for them.

Maybe cuz they're illegal and also on the banned substance list?

I don't think the issue is whether or not cocaine SHOULD be on the banned substance list. You can argue that until you are blue in the face. I would personally maintain that WADA puts it on the list both because it is technically a stimulant and to protect the health of professional athletes. But as I say, this isn't the point. Cocaine IS on the banned list and knowing it and using it anyway makes you liable to the consequences - especially since he knew the rules.

And I can say all of that and still feel deeply for that young man and his turmoil.

wait until gasquet puts in his defence......you can still 'take' cocaine WITHOUT knowledge......If someone has slipped it into your drink (in liquid form...)...its possible.....or in the food.....yeah...so he may have taken it but not have the mens rea (intention/knowledge)....so until that is proved beyond reasonable doubt, the guy is INNOCENT....don't charge him before all the evidence has been looked at. We are not the judges here.

We are not judging him. In fact if you read thouroughly, we are emphatizing with him!

whatever danny....

It's a pity that Richard is imploding and might get banned for 2 years. His game is of the highest quality. He just lacks the frame and speed and fitness of Nadal. And his mental strength is also questionable. Maybe it is just sad that he never realized his full potential.

Torres9......good point!!!!....im actually very proud of you for once....lol!!!

Fan4tennis.........thank you very much for defending me up there.........i dont think i could have done a better job........being compared to Rush Limbar and all!...lol!

"If you read my posts properly you will find I could never be a fan of Limbaugh - on the contrary, but I figured MonaLisa could be though, based on her quick judgments and I happen to really like Arnie".

However, I repeat........as much as I feel for Gasquet........if he did indeed use cocaine......he deserves to be punished.......whether or not he is to be suspended for two years is subjective.....BUT......Gasquet knew the rules and if he had any objections to them he should have voiced them or leave the sport!!!.....simple!....but he didnt!!!!......instead he broke them!!

But you cannot disobey the rules and THEN want to challenge them when you are caught........ABSURD!!!

You disobey the rules.....you ought to be punished......take it up with the Almighty......not the ITF!!!!

MonaLisa, gasquet game is like MonaLisa painting. Too bad Leonardo DaGasquet spoilt is by smoking too much coke.

i havw rwad nadal's interview about coke and gasquet recently..he told the press that he stands and supports gasquet coz he definitely is close to the guy and believes gasquet is not capable of doing that..i think that's fair enough..

I hear that Germany banned Redbull because of finding traces of cocaine in it. Maybe Gasquet drank a lot of redbull before testing? lol

Nadal is nearly always on the athlete's side. He defended Michael Phelps too. LOL.

Poor Richard. I don't think he could recover from a 2 year ban. It's FAR too harsh in my opinion.

Cheryl, is there any chance that Gasquet gonna get unbanned?