Nick Kyrgios apologises after provisional suspension for cocaine test
Nick Kyrgios has been provisionally suspended after testing positive for cocaine and has apologised, saying he made a huge mistake.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
Nick Kyrgios has been provisionally suspended from the ATP tour after a drugs test sample he gave at the Majorca Open in June was found to contain cocaine. The 31-year-old Australian, a former Wimbledon finalist, admitted the result and apologised in a statement posted on Instagram on Tuesday.
Kyrgios said he had made a huge mistake and took full responsibility. He apologised to his fans, family, sponsors and especially to children who follow him. He added that the last couple of years of injuries had taken a huge toll on him physically and mentally, and that coming to terms with being near the end of his career had been harder than he had ever imagined. He said none of that excused what he did, but called the positive test a wake-up call.
The suspension has been in place since 4 August, meaning Kyrgios cannot play, coach or attend tournaments. He has not appealed and will now await the outcome of a tribunal. In his statement, he said he would step away from social media and public life for 28 days to focus on getting himself right.
Kyrgios has long been one of tennis's most divisive and mercurial characters. He reached the Wimbledon final in 2022, the peak of a career often overshadowed by on-court outbursts and fines. Since then his ranking has plummeted and he has played only a handful of matches because of injury. He has also faced off-court controversy, including admitting to assaulting an ex-girlfriend in 2023, though he avoided a criminal conviction. His statement acknowledged the personal struggles behind his recent behaviour, but he insisted he was not making excuses.
The case has reignited debate about doping and integrity in tennis, with broadcasters noting that cocaine is banned under tour regulations. Kyrgios's future in the sport is now uncertain, with many commentators suggesting it could be a long time before he returns to court, if he ever does.
On screen
Stills are sampled automatically at 60-second intervals. Where shown, the still is the nearest available frame from the relevant broadcast segment and is included to show what was on screen during that part of the broadcast. A still may not correspond to the exact second of a quoted phrase.
Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | Channel 5 | BBC News | BBC One | ITV | Sky News |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nick Kyrgios was provisionally suspended after testing positive for cocaine, with the suspension in place since August 4th, and he said he failed the drug test in Majorca. | · | · | |||
| Kyrgios is a former Wimbledon finalist. | · | · | · | ||
| Kyrgios posted on Instagram, apologising and taking full responsibility. | · | · | · | ||
| Kyrgios will step away from social media and public life for 28 days. | · | · | · | ||
| Kyrgios admitted to assaulting an ex-girlfriend in 2023 but avoided criminal conviction. | · | · | · | · | |
| Kyrgios awaits the outcome of a tribunal. | · | · | · | · | |
| Kyrgios had his house broken into and sustained a foot injury during the incident. | · | · | · | · | |
| Kyrgios has played only 10 matches over the last four seasons, mostly due to injury. | · | · | · | · | |
| The sample was submitted during the Majorca Open in June. | · | · | · | · | |
| The suspension prevents the player from competing, coaching, or attending tournaments. | · | · | · | · |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
Sky News led with the breaking news element, reporting the suspension as a developing story and reading out Kyrgios's full Instagram statement. The coverage stressed the provisional nature of the ban and his right to appeal, while also providing context on his career and past off-court issues.
- “I made a huge mistake and I take full responsibility for it.”
- “He does have the right to appeal.”
- “This is currently a provisional suspension, but he's not allowed to play in any events at the moment.”
5 News gave a concise, factual summary of the story, focusing on the suspension, the positive test at the Majorca Open, and his public admission. It did not dwell on his past controversies, instead noting that he must await the outcome of a tribunal.
- “the 31-year-old said he made a huge mistake and takes full responsibility for it.”
- “Kyrgios must now await the outcome of a tribunal.”
ITV1's coverage emphasised Kyrgios's past disciplinary record, calling him a 'bad boy' and highlighting previous fines, misogynistic comments, and the 2023 assault admission. The reporting focused on the impact of the suspension and his promise to do the work and come back better.
- “He says he's made a huge mistake and takes full responsibility for it.”
- “It's not the first time that Kyrgios has been in the headlines for the wrong reasons.”
- “He now says he'll be taking some time out, stepping away from social media and public life for 28 days, promising to do the work and come back better.”
BBC News Now brought in an external tennis reporter to analyse Kyrgios's character and career. The focus was on his divisive reputation, his recent injury struggles, and the possibility that he may never return to court. The tone was more reflective and less immediate than other channels.
- “he put out a statement tonight and took full responsibility.”
- “He apologised to the kids who support him, particularly to his family, his friends, all those around him, his sponsors.”
- “He's 31 now and over the last four seasons he's played just 10 matches and that's largely been due to injury.”
BBC ONE West used the same report by Andy Swiss, framing Kyrgios as a mercurial talent whose ability is often overshadowed by controversy. It highlighted the timeline of the test, his apology, and the decline in his ranking since his 2022 Wimbledon final, with a note that his exit from tennis seems closer than ever.
- “Often dazzling never done”
- “I made a huge mistake and I take full responsibility for it.”
- “Kyrgios said today that coming to terms with being near the end of his career had been harder than he'd ever imagined.”
BBC NEWS (the signed edition) carried the same report as BBC ONE West, with identical wording and structure. It treated the story as a major sports item, focusing on the contradiction between Kyrgios's talent and his recurring controversies, and the likelihood that his career is winding down.
- “Often dazzling never done”
- “I made a huge mistake and I take full responsibility for it.”
- “Kyrgios said today that coming to terms with being near the end of his career had been harder than he'd ever imagined.”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.