Novak Djokovic Has 'No Trust' In Tennis Anti-Doping Programme

Novak Djokovic launched a scathing attack on tennis' anti-doping programme, claiming he no longer has any trust in the system.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled on Tuesday Djokovic's fellow Serbian Viktor Troicki should serve a 12-month ban for missing a doping test.

Troicki refused to take a blood test at the Monte Carlo Masters in April because he was feeling unwell and has a severe phobia of needles. He was originally suspended for 18 months by an International Tennis Federation anti-doping tribunal but appealed to CAS to have the sanction overturned.

Djokovic beat Roger Federer at the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals on Tuesday

The Serbian has always maintained the doping control officer (DCO) had assured him he would not face punishment, and his verdict comes only 11 days after Croatia's Marin Cilic had his ban for failing a doping test reduced from nine months to four months by CAS.

Following his victory over Roger Federer at the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals, Djokovic arrived at his press conference with written notes on the case.

Angry and emotional, the world number two said: "It's very bad news that we got for him, and for me, for all of us who are close to him. But I think it's just not bad news for him, it proves again that this system does not work.

"First of all, he's not positive on any banned substance. I'm not saying that it's completely not his fault. She (the DCO) did not clearly present him all the severe consequences that he will have if he avoids that. She told him that he needs to write a report and that he will be just fine.

"And because of her negligence and because of her unprofessionalism, he is now off the tour for one year. And now it makes me nervous as a player to do any kind of test.

"I don't have trust in them anymore. I don't have trust in what's going on. I don't know if tomorrow the (anti-doping) representative, because of their unprofessionalism, because of their negligence, because of their inability to explain the rules in a proper way, I don't know if they're going to misplace the test that I have or anything worse than that.

"For me, the whole procedure of the court case is totally against the player and player's rights.

"Now in Viktor's case, he's going to be sanctioned until July next year, and this lady, the DCO, she's going to come back tomorrow for the job. Nobody is going to answer for that. Only him. Why?

"For me, this is total injustice. It's just incredible."