“I was disgusted with myself, I retired the following week at the age of 32 and a half. Shortly after I realised how precious life is and how serious and reckless my decision was. I wasn’t involved in tennis at all for almost two years and pro tennis for three.
“I am writing this confession letter firstly to warn other athletes against doing anything that may harm their health and put their lives at risk because there is a long life after an athlete’s career.”
In his statement, Matosevic did not provide any further explanation for the blood transfusion, other than stressing that he was motivated by managing his health concerns from the previous year.
But he did take aim at the ITIA’s anti-doping protocols and investigation methods, claiming many of the allegations against him were based on text messages.
“I am writing this letter to let the tennis world know how corrupt and unjust the ITIA process is,” he wrote.
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“They take your phone under threatening circumstances and make legal cases over photos and text message assumptions that are literally over five years old.
“As I have gone through this process from start to finish and discussed with others who have knowledge or have also gone through the same process, the only logical conclusion is that the current systems in tennis should be dismantled.”
This masthead is making attempts to contact Matosevic. Tennis Australia and the ITIA have also been contacted for comment.
Last year two Australian tennis players, including doubles champion Max Purcell, were hit with lengthy suspensions for breaching the sport’s anti-doping rules over intravenous infusion of vitamins.
In April Purcell was banned for 18 months – a penalty that expires before this year’s Wimbledon event after some of the ban was backdated – for breaching anti-doping rules after ITIA investigators found messages on his mobile phone in which he discussed ways he could justify receiving intravenous infusions.
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