Tuesday, October 3 2006 15:18 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

London: French veteran Anthony Dupuis was on Monday hit with a 10-week doping ban by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) for failing to provide a certificate for a medicine used to treat asthma.

The ITF announced that an independent tribunal ruled that Dupuis has been found to have committed a doping offence under the ITF's Tennis Anti-Doping Programme 2006.

A sample collected from the 33-year-old Frenchman at the Tunis Challenger on May 2, 2006 tested positive for salbutamol.

He later said he took salbutamol for medical reasons (to treat asthma) but, as of the date of the sample collection, he did not have a valid Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) to cover the treatment.

The independent tribunal found that there had been no intent to enhance performance by the taking of salbutamol, which is listed as a 'specified substance' on the World Anti-Doping Code, so the otherwise mandatory two-year ban under the Programme did not apply.

A statement from the ITF said: "However, the player was found to be at fault for failing to take personal responsibility for ensuring that he had a valid TUE to cover the use of the salbutamol.

"As a result, the independent Tribunal determined that Antony Dupuis is sanctioned with a two and a half month suspension starting from when the player voluntarily withdrew from competition on 26 August 2006, and will forfeit the prize money and ranking points earned at the Tunis Challenger and at subsequent events up to and including the US Open which took place week commencing 21 August 2006, a total of US$30,540, " he said.

Dupuis, who has three weeks to appeal the decision, will be eligible to return to competition on 11 November 2006.